BRUSSELS, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- NATO defense ministers on Thursday agreed to move forward cooperation with the European Union (EU) in curbing illegal migration, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told media.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and the defense ministers of Finland and Sweden also joined the second day of NATO's ministerial meeting.
Highlighting that the NATO-EU cooperation was now closer than before, Stoltenberg said, "In December, Federica and I will report to ministers on the practical steps NATO and the EU are taking to move our cooperation to the next level."
He announced that NATO defense ministers had decided to continue NATO's deployment in the Aegean Sea to help stem illegal migration.
In February, NATO deployed ships to the Aegean Sea to support Greece and Turkey, as well as the EU's border agency Frontex, in their efforts to tackle the refugee and migrant crisis.
"Thanks to our joint efforts, together with Greece and Turkey, the flow of migrants has decreased substantially," Stoltenberg said.
NATO defense ministers also decided that NATO's new Operation Sea Guardian would support the EU's anti-migrant smuggling mission, Operation Sophia.
"Within two weeks, NATO ships and planes will be in the Central Mediterranean, ready to help increase the EU's situational awareness and provide logistical support," Stoltenberg added.
The discussions also included ways to deepen NATO-EU cooperation in the areas of countering hybrid threats, cyber defense, coordinated exercises and supporting partners, according to the statement released by NATO.
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