BUENOS AIRES - Argentina has applied to become a "global partner" of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Defense Minister Luis Petri said Thursday.

Petri said on X that he has met with Deputy Secretary General of NATO Mircea Geoana.

"I presented the letter of intent that expresses Argentina's request to become a global partner of this organization. We will continue working to recover links that allow us to modernize and train our forces to NATO standards," he said.

Petri also held a meeting with NATO's Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Public Affairs and Security Policy Javier Colomina and presented him "Argentina's proposals to explore issues of mutual interest such as maritime security and reinforce strategic security dialogue."

"We are going to continue working to strengthen our relationship with NATO," he said.

According to Argentine Public TV, the nation has been an "extra-NATO ally" since 1998, when then-US President Bill Clinton gave the "green light" to his Argentine counterpart Carlos Menem, but "global partner" status is a "step up."