WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs Andrew J. Shapiro will lead the U.S. delegation for this year’s session of the U.S.- Chile Political-Military Dialogue at the U.S. Department of State on Thursday and Friday.

Joining the delegation will be Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Marcie B. Ries from the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, Deputy Assistant Secretary Eliot Kang from the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation and representatives from the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs and the Department of Defense.

The officials will hold talks with Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Alfonso Silva and other representatives from the Chilean government, building on the success of the previous dialogue held in 2010 in Santiago, Chile.

The U.S.-Chile Political-Military Dialogue focuses on a wide range of political-military issues, including shared strategic challenges in the region and continuing efforts to enhance partnerships in security cooperation, peacekeeping, civil defense cooperation, nuclear security, nonproliferation and disarmament.