Press Secretary George Little provided the following statement:
"Today in Kuwait City, Secretary Panetta met with Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah, Amir of the State of Kuwait. The secretary expressed strong confidence in the long standing U.S.-Kuwaiti defense relationship, and in the ability of both countries to work together to address common security challenges in the Gulf region and beyond. The secretary underscored the importance the U.S. defense strategy places on the Middle East, and he commended the Amir for Kuwait’s leadership role in fostering peace and security in the region. The secretary and the Amir also discussed the crisis in Syria, the problem of cyber threats, and Kuwait’s recently completed parliamentary elections and on-going commitment to the rule of law."