Albanese hoping Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ invite ‘goes away’

Donald Trump’s invitation to join the “Peace Board” left the Albanian government stumped on how to respond; Sources said Canberra didn’t want to deal with it and hoped it would go away.

The US President this week invited nearly 60 countries to join the initiative aimed at resolving conflicts around the world, especially in Gaza.

He will chair the board and have the final say on membership, with permanent spots open to states paying $1 billion, Mr. Trump announced.

While the Prime Minister and other senior government officials have publicly stated that the invitation is under consideration, Mr Albanese insisted this week that he was busy passing sweeping Bondi reforms and could not properly examine the issue.

“We will consider these issues in line with other countries,” he told reporters on Wednesday.

“But we haven’t focused our attention on those issues. I think quite rightly we have been given priority in terms of what we need to do to keep Australians safe.”

But a government source told NewsWire that the proposal was unpopular and “the strategy is to hope it somehow fizzles out.”

Another likened it to a “hot potato.”

Part of the hesitation, they said, was fear that the board could undermine existing international efforts to resolve conflicts.

They added that Australia’s response, or lack thereof, was in line with other countries because they, too, were grappling with how best to say no without angering Mr. Trump.

The comments echoed those of foreign diplomats speaking in the background.

European diplomats said their governments were particularly concerned about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invitation, while a Polish source described it as “absurd”.

Meanwhile, a Brazilian source said Israel’s involvement had eroded any credibility the board might have had in resolving the crisis in Gaza fairly.

According to the report, Israel is one of 26 countries that agreed to participate.

Others include Belarus, Hungary, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Only six countries, including France, Germany and Italy, explicitly rejected their invitations.

Canada’s invitation was withdrawn on Thursday after the country’s prime minister gave a speech to world leaders warning of a “rupture” in the US-led global order.

Speaking to NewsWire, former Australian ambassador to the US Arthur Sinodinos said the Albanian government should consider how relevant Mr Trump’s offer would be to Australia’s immediate foreign policy objectives.

“We have increasingly directed our foreign policy towards the Indo-Pacific,” he said.

“Clearly, we need to consider this invitation in the context of how it will advance our national interests, especially given our goals in our own region.

“I’m also not entirely sure what role the multi-billion dollar price tag plays in this, and while I have no doubt that the government would not want to do anything to anger the US administration, it is not clear to me how powerful Australia’s involvement in the Peace Board is.”

Mr. Sinodinos served as ambassador to Washington at the end of the first Trump administration.

He said the best way to reject Mr Trump’s offer and avoid an international blowout was to explain Australia’s position in private talks.

“Normally, in these types of situations, people can speak up behind the scenes, whether at the ambassador or minister level, and talk through the issue and explain our point of view, which we should be able to do given that we are reliable allies and partners of the United States,” Mr. Sinodinos said. he said.

“The government clearly needs to take into account that this is something very close to the President’s heart.

“But we still need to adjust this to our national interest; that’s the calculation that needs to be made.”

He also said Mr. Albanese’s relationship with Mr. Trump appeared to be in “fundamentally good shape,” based on White House meetings released last year.

Mr Trump held a signing ceremony on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (AEDT) in Davos, Switzerland, on Friday, and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the body had become “an official international organisation”.