Showing posts with label FORCE POSTURE AGREEMENT. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FORCE POSTURE AGREEMENT. Show all posts

Saturday, June 14, 2014

DEFENSE SECRETARY HAGEL MEETS WITH AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER ABBOTT

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT DEFENSE 

Right:  Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, right, walks with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott after hosting a full-honors ceremony to welcome him to the Pentagon, June 13, 2014. The two leaders met to discuss issues of mutual importance. DOD photo by U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Aaron Hostutler.  
Hagel Discusses Defense Cooperation With Australia’s Prime Minister

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 13, 2014 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel welcomed Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott at the Pentagon this morning with a full-honors ceremony followed by what Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby called a productive discussion on future defense cooperation between the United States and Australia.

In a statement summarizing the meeting, Kirby said Abbott conveyed his deep commitment to the U.S.-Australia alliance.

“Secretary Hagel expressed appreciation for Australia's past and ongoing contributions to Afghanistan and congratulated Prime Minister Abbott on the force posture agreement that he and President Obama announced yesterday,” Kirby said, “noting that the 25-year agreement will provide an enduring framework for the initiatives that our governments embarked upon in November 2011.”

The agreement is a significant milestone in the U.S.-Australia alliance, the admiral added, and will serve as a foundation for the growth of the current U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force rotational presence and activities in Australia, as well as future initiatives that the United States and Australia pursue.

“The secretary and Prime Minister Abbott agreed that the alliance will continue to be an anchor of stability and peace in the Asia-Pacific as we respond jointly to shared challenges in the region,” Kirby said. “To that end, the secretary and prime minister discussed expanding our bilateral cooperation on ballistic missile defense while also working trilaterally with Japan on Australia's submarine program.”

The press secretary said Hagel is looking forward to exploring these topics further at the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultation known as AUSMIN later this year.

Before meeting with the secretary today, Kirby said, Abbott paid his respects at Arlington National Cemetery.

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