Remarks by Secretary Mattis in an Honor Cordon Welcoming Italian Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti to the Pentagon

 

            SECRETARY OF DEFENSE JIM MATTIS:  Madam Minister, to you, Excellency, you're delegation, welcome to the Pentagon.  It's very good to have you here.  You and I have talked a number of times in Brussels.  I'm happy to host you here at the Pentagon. 

 

            I appreciate you taking the time to visit us here.  Italy is an old friend, come through difficult times together from -- far from battlefields and of course in the battlefield that is known as Brussels.

 

            Exactly, but in addition, Italy hosts over 10,000 of our troops plus their family members.  And any soldier that we have who is thinking about not re-enlisting, we send them to Italy, and suddenly they want to re-enlist for 20 years in the U.S. military. (Laughter.)

 

            Yes.  We are also very much aware Madam Minister that you are a front line -- (inaudible) -- in dealing with threats from the south.  And your country has shown remarkable humanity in its life-saving efforts in the Mediterranean to the refugees that -- that you have saved at sea. 

 

            Your military has also sustained extraordinary leadership in Afghanistan, with the training and the fighting out there.  The training of the Afghan forces in Herat, and that has been a very well-conducted operation over many years.

 

            And thank you especially for your contributions for the Defeat ISIS Coalition campaign, in which we are full partners with one another.  You're the second largest contributor to that campaign, and we respect that greatly.

 

            And I have to especially make mention of your Carabinieri’s effort to train the Iraqi police.  They have been instrumental in this fight, and they've done their usual magnificent job. 

 

            And of we thank you for offering to host the next Defeat ISIS Restricted Ministerial Meeting in Rome.  That's the way we keep this coalition together.  So thank you.

 

            While we'll focus on NATO issues here today, as an old friend and ally, and we deal with the North Korean regime, we want to know what Italy's advice is, with their continued violations of the United Nations Security Council resolutions, and just any thoughts you have on this threat to world peace are always welcome.

 

            But, Madam Minister, we're honored to have and thank you.

 

            Madam Minister, welcome.

 

            MINISTER OF DEFENSE ROBERTA PINOTTI (through translator):  Well, thank you.  It's a pleasure to meet you here.  Mr. Secretary, we already met in Brussels.  But being here is just an opportunity to -- (inaudible) -- between our two countries.

 

            This is also (inaudible) -- and I -- (inaudible) -- start by conveying my condolences for the tragic loss of the lives of the U.S. soldiers who perished the other day.

 

            And I know personal experience how difficult it is for a secretary of defense to sustain such losses.  It's always a terrible moment.

 

            SEC. MATTIS:  Thank you.

 

            MIN. PINOTTI (through translator):  And the relationships between Italy and the U.S. are excellent, and I must say that Italy has seen and felt all the friendship feelings and all the closeness that the U.S. has many -- (inaudible) -- especially with regard to the -- (inaudible) -- problems we are having on the south flank.

 

            Italy is living a very difficult moment.  It is bearing the burden of migration -- of the dealing -- of dealing with migration almost alone.  And it's something that also -- has also to do with threats that may come from the south, something we have to keep an eye and to focus on every day.

 

            We welcome the support you have given to the -- (inaudible) -- in the -- (inaudible) -- and the -- (inaudible).  We hope that resources can be increased -- (inaudible). 

 

            We are happy with the work that has been done so far to defeat , especially in Sirte and in general in Libya.  And we look forward to work -in this respect to take further steps.

 

            SEC. MATTIS:  Thank you.

 

            Thank you again, Madam Minister, Excellency.  Welcome to you all.  And if the press will excuse us, we'll now get to work.

 

            Q:  Mr. Secretary, -- (inaudible) -- troop levels in Afghanistan.  Are you considering using military contractors?

 

            SEC. MATTIS:  I'm still putting together my ideas on that.

 

            Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen.  Thank you for coming by.

 

            -END-