Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby provided the following readout:

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and French Minister of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke by phone this afternoon to discuss the coalition strategy to combat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Secretary Hagel expressed gratitude for France's strong support for the coalition, and for their initiative to hold an international conference on Iraq in Paris next week.

Secretary Hagel and Minister Le Drian discussed many aspects of the strategy to combat ISIL, and expressed satisfaction with the close cooperation between the armed forces of France and the United States.

The two leaders agreed to keep in contact and speak again following the Iraq conference.