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| Australian Defence Staff (Washington) Home |
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Australia/United States of America Alliance |
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 At the annual Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations in Washington on 9 April, Stephen Smith, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates met to further the United States-Australia alliance and discussed the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan, non-proliferation, security in the Asia Pacific and other regional and global strategic challenges. The 2009 AUSMIN, the first such meeting under the Obama Administration, confirmed the strength and contemporary relevance of the US-Australia alliance in strategic, security, military, and foreign policy fields. |
Together, we work to strengthen our alliance with the United States and shape US strategic thinking. Australia’s relationship with the United States is one of our most important strategic assets. Its preservation and development are among our highest strategic priorities.
Through the work of the Australian Defence Staff in Washington DC, Australia maximises training and exercise opportunities with the United States, ensures access to the best technology and improves the interoperability and integration of Australia and US forces. Our efforts ensure that both Australia and the United States continue to benefit from the alliance. For Australia, continued US engagement supports the development of our defence capabilities and plays a critical role in maintaining strategic stability in the Asia Pacific region as a whole. For the United States, Australia is a key ally in regional security efforts. Moreover, Australia remains a significant contributor to coalitions, which the United States recognises an an increasingly important benefit as the war against terrorism progresses. |
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