Munich, Rabi'I 12, 1433, Feb 4, 2012, SPA - Europe remains a key partner to US efforts to achieve global security, the US secretaries of state and defence assured the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. "I have heard some of the doubts expressed, but the reality couldn't be clearer," said Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. "Europe remains our security partner of first resort. "I would argue the trans-Atlantic community has never been more closely aligned. The breadth and depth of our cooperation is remarkable." Defence Secretary Leon Panetta assured that, despite planned cutbacks in spending, the United States would continue to remain strongly engaged on the continent. "Europe remains our security partner, our security partner of choice, for military operations and diplomacy around the world," he was quoted as saying by the German Press Agency "DPA". --SPA 12:21 LOCAL TIME 09:21 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/966900