Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Meeting With Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison

 

Sept. 22, 2021

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby provided the following readout:

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III hosted Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison for his first visit to the Pentagon, Wednesday, to discuss the future of the U.S.-Australia Alliance, after the historic announcement of the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) trilateral security partnership and the successful Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) held in Washington D.C. last week.

The two leaders discussed AUKUS and the framework for its implementation, emphasizing that it was a long-term partnership that laid the foundation for ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. They also discussed the importance of Alliance engagement with regional allies and partners, and how to strengthen the Alliance’s capabilities across the air, land, sea, cyber, and space domains. 

Prime Minister Morrison thanked Secretary Austin for the United States’ partnership and support throughout the war in Afghanistan, especially for supporting the airlift of 4,100 people from Kabul to Australia last month. 

After the meeting, the Prime Minister laid a wreath at the Pentagon’s 9/11 Memorial to pay his respects following the 20th anniversary of the attack. Both leaders affirmed the enduring strength of the U.S.-Australian Alliance on the 70th anniversary of the ANZUS treaty.