Submarine deal left treading water after key US talks
The fate of Australia’s nuclear submarine program remains uncertain despite the Foreign Minister’s attempt to sell the benefits of the agreement to the US equivalent.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s tripartite AUKUS agreement that will provide nuclear submarines to Australia under the US and Britain in his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington.
However, the meeting did little to question the concerns that the coalition’s future may be in danger with the Pentagon to make a brief examination of the future of AUKUS’s future with the agenda of the “American First” agenda of the agreement.
Senator Wong said that they had a good debate about Aukus and their benefits for all countries, but raised questions about whether the US is still a reliable partner under Mr. Trump.
“We understand that President Trump has a different view of how America will be in the world – we respect it – he said.
“We also know how important our partnership is, and we believe it is understood in Washington.
“This is not a new relationship, but a relationship that the alliance is in the hands of the governments of both political persuasion and that it will always be like this.”
Opposition Defense Spokesman Angus Taylor said that the Americans understand the value of Aukus.
“We are still not clearer about where this AUKUS review is going, what is expected of us and how we benefit from AUKUS regulations in the best way,” he said.
Senator Wong and Senator Rubio, Aukus, trade, regional security and critical minerals through the supply of cooperation of the deepening of the deepening.
Some of them expected Americans to touch Australia’s military budget after the US called Canberra to 3.5 percent of the gross domestic product.
However, Senator Wong said the Minister of Foreign Affairs did not bring the issue to the agenda.
The debates focused on regional stability, instead, and two of them said that the meeting against a ground was unfortunate.
“It has never been so important for us to use our collective power for peace, stability and prosperity in Indo-Pacific, Sen said Senator Wong.
Senator Rubio said that the United States and Australia have a “great partnership ve and although it is important to discuss ideas and concepts, the next steps were“ concrete action ..
One -to -one was part of the Summit of Four Foreign Leaders, including Japanese Foreign Minister and Indian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
For the second time in six months, the four -national diplomatic partnership group came together for face -to -face interviews.
While Senator Wong came together with his US colleagues several times, Prime Minister Anthony Albania is under pressure to make a meeting with Mr. Trump to negotiate exemption from tariffs on Australian goods.
The two leaders were going to talk to the sides of the G7 Summit in June in June, but the meeting was scrapped in eleven hours when Mr. Trump left early due to instability in the Middle East.
Senator Wong said that Mr. Rubio regretted the kidnapped opportunity and two of them agreed to plan the meeting again, but no date has been determined yet.
Foreign Minister added that Mr. Trump is “strong” for the removal of 10 percent of Australian goods sent to the United States and a 10 percent of the tariff for a tariff in steel and aluminum.
However, Mr. Taylor said the Minister of Foreign Affairs would return to Australia with a “empty hand”.
“There is no real progress in tariff barriers, no progress in establishing a meeting – the estimation of anyone about when it will be,” he said.
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