WASHINGTON (May 23, 2012) -- Under Secretary of the Army Joseph W. Westphal met with senior generals in the Mexican Army, Tuesday, at the Pentagon, to discuss Army-to-Army cooperation efforts, build cooperation and foster closer relationships between the two militaries.

The senior Mexican officers visited the Pentagon as part of the Fifth Army Inter-American Relations Program. The program hosts senior officers from the Mexican Army to showcase the collaboration between the U.S. Army, the U.S. Government as well as the civilian communities.

Established in 1946 by General Jonathan M. Wainwright Jr., the Fifth Army Inter-American Relations Program is a week-long program that enables senior Mexican Army officers, selected by the Mexican Secretary of National Defense, to visit various U.S. Army installations in the United States. The program builds rapport, understanding and confidence with senior Mexican officers, while sharing information about the U.S. Army and America in a professional, social and cultural context.

The meeting builds on talks between Westphal and the Mexican Ambassador to the United States Arturo Sarukhan. The two discussed Army-to-Army cooperation efforts, regional security issues, and expanding partnerships into areas of mutual interest.

Both of these engagements deepen U.S.-Mexico defense cooperation to effectively confront shared security challenges and strengthen Army-to-Army cooperation efforts.