Penny Wong to join talks with 35 countries, excluding US, to explore ways to reopen strait of Hormuz | Australian politics
Penny Wong will represent Australia at an international summit on efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and British prime minister Keir Starmer will vow to explore “all practicable diplomatic and political measures” to end the blockade of oil shipments.
Starmer will host talks with 35 countries from 10pm (AEDT) on Thursday night.
A federal government spokesman said the foreign minister would attend and that the meeting was welcomed “to enhance freedom of navigation and maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz.”
“We all want to see the safe passage of ships through the strait, a critical waterway held hostage by the Iranian regime,” they said.
Donald Trump criticized European countries for not supporting his war and said it would be the responsibility of other countries to reopen the strait if the United States stopped its attacks on Tehran.
The talks came after Australia signed a UK-led statement condemning Iran’s attacks on commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the Gulf.
Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, prime minister Anthony Albanese reiterated his call for de-escalation in the crisis and warned that even if hostilities were stopped immediately, the crisis would have a long-lasting impact on the Australian economy.
“I also want there to be recognition and more clarity about how this is going to end,” he said.
“And I’ve been pretty consistent on that, that we need to explain what the endpoint is here and what the goals are, and I think the goals that were initially put forward by President Trump have been largely achieved.”
Previously defense minister Richard Marles said Australia wanted to work with Britain and France on reopening the strategic waterway.
“All these countries and most of Australia want the Strait of Hormuz to be opened as soon as possible. We will see what Australia can do,” he told ABC radio.
“It is also important to note that our E7-A Wedgetail is present in the region, which plays a truly important role in ensuring the defense of the Gulf countries, especially the UAE.”
These 35 countries include the UK, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, as well as Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria.
This agreement commits countries to “be ready to contribute to the necessary efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait.”
Approximately 1,000 ships and thousands of civilian sailors were stranded in the strait due to the partial blockade imposed by Iran in response to US and Israeli attacks. Before the conflict, twenty percent of the world’s oil and natural gas supply was transported through the strait; This restricted global fuel supplies and increased prices.
Opposition leader Angus Taylor said any requests for Australian input should be given “full consideration” but the country’s capacity to provide support was questioned.
Taylor told Sky News: “We absolutely support opening the Strait of Hormuz… Any reasonable request from us must be evaluated in an absolutely fair manner and we are prepared to be part of that evaluation.”
“The first question is what we’re being asked. I think it’s not clear at this point… We don’t have clarity about what capacity the government might have to assist with this implementation.”
