LAGOS, July 13 (Xinhuanet) -- A top US military commander has saidhis country was willing to cooperate with Nigeria in monitoring the waters of the Gulf of Guinea to secure the alternative source of oil to the Middle East.

    "I think it is a hugely important issue to Nigeria as well as other countries in the Gulf of Guinea," local newspaper the Guardian quoted General Charles Wald, deputy commander of the US military's European Command for Europe and Africa, as saying on Tuesday.

    Wald held talks on Monday with Nigerian military officials, including Nigerian Minister of State for Defense Rowland Oritsejafor and service chiefs, in the Nigerian capital of Abuja.

    "It is up to the political leadership to decide if it is in their common interest to protect the area. If they do, we will firmly support that," he said, referring to the deployment of US naval troops in the region that holds as much as 10 percent of theworld's oil reserves.

    Monday's meeting held in the Abuja residence of the US ambassador to Nigeria was also the first time both countries met on the US government's deployment of its Navy in the Gulf of Guinea, the newspaper said.

    Nigeria, Africa's biggest oil producer, is also the world's sixth largest oil exporter and the fifth-biggest source of US oil imports.

    However, the United States wants more oil from Nigeria and other African countries in the Gulf of Guinea, which has been plagued by pirates, smugglers and other criminals.

    In Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta region, the violence kills about 1,000 people a year, forcing the west African country to lose over 160,000 barrels per day.

    Wald said that Nigeria is "one of the most important countries"to the United States and his country would help Nigeria "solve itssecurity problems."

    "We would like to have more cooperation with Nigeria. We think it is crucial for both of us," he added.

    Wald also said the United States was looking forward to expanding training and helping equip regional groups in Africa "tosupport African leaders in regional peacekeeping." Enditem