Mr.. Marles is in the US and yesterday met with his American counterpart.
The tripartite agreement AUKUS between Australia, the UK and the US was signed in 2021; the timing of the construction of nuclear submarines is expected to be finalised and announced next month, in March.
According to yet to be confirmed information, Prime Minister Anthoni Albanizi is expected to visit the US where he will have a meeting with US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Risi Sunak on the schedule of AUKUS. Marles said this agreement would improve Australia's position on the international scene.
“This is a huge moment in our country's history. This will change Australia's international personality. it will dramatically build our capacity and with that it will build our Sovereignty. The significance of Britain and America working together to help us have that technology is one which is in international terms also highly important.”
Security in the Indo-Pacific region and the AUKUS deal were at the centre of the Australian defence minister's meeting with US counterpart Lloyd Austin.
The two ministers, among other things, exchanged views on the forthcoming publication of the Australian Defence Strategy Review as well as other bilateral issues, according to a Pentagon announcement.
Mr Austin said significant progress had been made on Australia's path to acquire nuclear-powered submarines which will be equipped with conventional weapons.
Mr Marles said:
“There is a really profound sense of shared mission between our countries (US, UK, Australia) in a world where the global rules based order is under pressure. Countries that stand for it need to work together to uphold it so that we do enjoy and free and open world. We see the global rules based order under pressure in Ukraine and we see it in the Indo Pacific as well.”
