By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2014 – Calling a new force posture
agreement between the United States and Australia a “milestone” in the
relationship between the two countries, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel today
said United States looks forward to signing the document.
Hagel spoke at a news conference in Sydney with Australian
Defense Minister David Johnston.
The document re-emphasizes America’s rebalance to the
Asia-Pacific, Hagel said, adding that it will be invaluable to sustaining a
peace and stability throughout the region.
The cornerstone of the document is the rotational presence
of U.S. Marines in Darwin and American airmen in Northern Australia, Hagel
said, noting that this will allow the militaries to work more closely together.
“It will expand our regional cooperation here in the
Asia-Pacific from engagement with [the Association of Southeast Asian Nations]
to the trilateral cooperation that we have been working on with Japan,” the
defense secretary said.
The agreement looks long-term at joint military capacity
building, cooperation in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and other
new initiatives.
The agreement is part of the Australia-U.S. ministerial
conference. The two defense leaders will be joined in the discussions by
Secretary of State John F. Kerry and Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Julie
Bishop. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
also is participating.
Those talks will look at maritime security, special forces,
missile defense and Afghanistan. They also will involve discussion of the
situation in Ukraine, Hagel said.
“We’ll also be conferring on the threat posed by [the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] in Iraq and America’s appreciation to
Australia, in particular, for Australia's offer to assist in humanitarian
relief operations there,” he added.
Hagel took the opportunity to highlight America’s rebalance
effort. The United States has been and will remain a Pacific power, he said.
About 200 U.S. Navy ships are now in the region, along with more than 360,000
uniformed and civilian personnel.
“It’s pretty clear that the U.S. is committed to this part
of the world, but also does not mean a retreat from any other part of the
world,” Hagel said. “We have interests all over the world. We'll continue to
work with our partners and strengthen those partnerships and the alliances we
have in every part of the world and here as well.”
For up-to-the-minute coverage of the secretary’s overseas
trip, follow the Defense Department’s official Twitter account, @DeptofDefense.
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