US, Australia ink joint missile defence, military training deal

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States and one of its key Asia-Pacific allies, Australia, agreed to develop a controversial missile defense shield to deter and protect against countries having access to ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction.

Canberra also agreed to allow the United States to have a key military training center in Australia following annual talks between their foreign and defence ministers in Washington.

A memorandum of understanding to develop a system to defend the two countries from missile attacks was signed by US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his Australian counterpart Robert Hill.

Rumsfeld told reporters that its goal was "to help ensure that our nations are able to deter and defend against countries that have access to ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction."

He did not identify the countries but a joint communique at the end of the talks underlined the need to rein in North Korea (news - web sites) and Iran, which have been persistently accused of developing nuclear weapons.

"Both the US and Australia share deep concerns about the proliferation of ballistic missiles capable of carrying weapons of mass destruction -- nuclear, chemical and biological," said a US statement issued after the signing.

The 25-year agreement signed Wednesday will include Australia as a participating country in the US missile defense program as well as development and testing of advanced radar technology capable of providing improved early detection of ballistic missiles after launch.

Hill said it was a "long-term investment" as the two countries believed they had a "responsibility to address not only the threats of today, but the threats that we might face in the future."

Several groups, including Australia's opposition, have expressed fears that the US-Australia missile deal might prompt an arms race by China and India.

Japan last year deployed a US-developed ballistic missile defense shield and is conducting joint research with the United States to improve on the system.

The United States and Australia also issued a joint statement on interoperability between their armed forces and development of a joint combined training capability in Australia.

Hill said that the Shoalwater Bay training area in Queensland and two other training ranges in the northern territory would be enhanced with instrumentation and simulation and ultimately interlinked for joint training.

"As to whether there will be any US training stocks in Australia associated with joint use of training bases in Australia, that's still to be determined," he said.

Hill said Singapore, for example, used Australia's training bases and "maintains training stocks in Australia as an economical way of doing business.

"The US will determine what it needs in order to maximize the advantage it can get out of these training facilities," he added.

The United States is Australia's major military ally, with its 1951 ANZUS treaty the cornerstone of its defense strategy.

The treaty, between Australia, New Zealand and the United States, treats an attack on one of the three as an attack on all.

The US Armed Forces has one key presence in Australia -- a joint facility at Pine Gap in the desert outback which serves as an earth station for US military surveillance and communications satellites.

New Zealand's relationship with the United States in the post-World War II period was closely associated with the Australian, New Zealand, United States (ANZUS) security treaty of 1951, under which signatories agreed to consult in case of an attack in the Pacific and to "act to meet the common danger." During the postwar period, access to New Zealand ports by U.S. vessels contributed to the flexibility and effectiveness of U.S. naval forces in the Pacific.

Growing concern about nuclear testing in the South Pacific and arms control issues contributed to the 1984 election of a Labour government committed to barring nuclear-armed and nuclear-powered warships from New Zealand ports. The government's anti-nuclear policy proved incompatible with longstanding, worldwide U.S. policy of neither confirming nor denying the presence or absence of nuclear weapons onboard U.S. vessels.

Implementation of New Zealand's policy effectively prevented practical alliance cooperation under ANZUS, and after extensive efforts to resolve the issue proved unsuccessful, in August 1986 the United States suspended its ANZUS security obligations to New Zealand. Even after President Bush's 1991 announcement that U.S. surface ships do not normally carry nuclear weapons, New Zealand's legislation prohibiting visits of nuclear-powered ships continues to preclude a bilateral security alliance with the United States. The United States would welcome New Zealand's reassessment of its legislation to permit that country's return to full ANZUS cooperation.

Despite suspension of U.S. security obligations, the New Zealand Government has reaffirmed the importance it attaches to continued close political, economic, and social ties with the United States and Australia. New Zealand is an active member of the global coalition in the war against terrorism, and deployed SAS troops to Afghanistan and naval and air assets to the Persian Gulf. The United States is New Zealand's second-largest trading partner after Australia. Total bilateral trade for 2001 was $4.1 billion--with a $106 million surplus in favor of New Zealand--and U.S. merchandise exports to New Zealand were $2 billion. U.S. direct foreign investment in New Zealand (as of March 2001) totaled $3.1 billion, largely concentrated in manufacturing, forestry, telecommunications services, and finance. (from State Dept)

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