Prime Minister Julia Gillard has delivered a 35 minute speech to a joint meeting of the United States Congress. [Read more…]
U.S.-Australian Relations In A New Era: Nicholas Burns
Dec 06, 2007
The US-Australian Alliance has “a foundation deeper than the policies or political parties of the day”, according to the United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Ambassador R. Nicholas Burns.
Addressing the Lowy Institute in Sydney, Burns said he was “impressed by the new Australian cabinet”. He said “Australia is as good a friend to the US as any country in the world” and there is “no reason for that to change”. [Read more…]
UN, USA, Asia: Three Pillars Of Labor’s Foreign Policy, Says Smith
Nov 29, 2007
The incoming Minister for Foreign Affairs, Stephen Smith, has outlined the three pillars underpinning Federal Labor’s foreign policy approach.
In a statement issued today, Smith said those pillars were:
- Our membership of the United Nations;
- Our Alliance with the United States; and
- Our policy of comprehensive engagement with Asia.
Smith said: “Federal Labor has consistently emphasised the need to focus our foreign policy and diplomatic efforts on Australia’s national interests within our own Asia-Pacific region. [Read more…]
U.S. Ambassador Hasn’t Read ANZUS Treaty
Feb 14, 2007
The United States Ambassador to Australia, Robert McCallum, has admitted he has not read the ANZUS Treaty.
In a wide-ranging address to the National Press Club in Canberra, McCallum was asked about Article 4 of the treaty which states that “each Party recognizes that an armed attack in the Pacific Area on any of the Parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common danger in accordance with its constitutional processes.”
Asked what the US constitutional process would be to invoke the ANZUS Treaty, particularly if there were a conflict between the President and the Congress, McCallum reminded his audience that he was a lawyer with 30 years experience and said: [Read more…]