U.S. holds meeting of Mideast generals

WASHINGTON — The United States convened what officials termed an unprecedented meeting of generals from around the Middle East.

U.S. officials said the meeting included about 25 generals and defense officials from 18 countries across the Middle East and South Asia. The participants discussed security issues in the region.

The meeting took place in early November and was not announced. U.S. officials said the session was the inaugural seminar of the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies.

"During the first week of November, on the secluded grounds of the National Defense University, more than about two dozen generals, admirals, and senior civilian national security leaders from 18 countries across the Middle East and South Asia came together for an unprecedented gathering to discuss security issues of the region," U.S. Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary Alina Romanowski said. "This gathering was not a summit."

The meeting brought together military representatives from 21 countries. They included Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

The session marked the inaugural seminar of the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, the latest of five U.S.-sponsored regional security studies centers. Iraq, Iran and the Palestinian Authority did not participate in the meeting.

The U.S. official said the countries will continue to discuss issues through the center. These include regional issues as well as military doctrine.

The countries invited to the seminar have relations with the United States. Officials said nations outside the Middle East such as Britain, China, France, Japan, Russia and Turkey will also be invited to participate.