WASHINGTON. Dec 6 (Interfax) - U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan on Thursday to discuss bilateral security cooperation, U.S. Department of Defense spokesman Patrick Ryder said.
"The two leaders also discussed ongoing and future security cooperation efforts, such as military education and professionalization, institutional capacity-building, and training," Ryder said at a press briefing.
"Secretary Austin and Minister Papikyan reaffirmed the strategic partnership between our two countries and reaffirmed our shared objective of an enduring peace in the South Caucasus," he said.
It was "the first such meeting in two decades," Ryder said.