"Australia has failed to secure a defence treaty with Papua New Guinea (PNG) that would have seen their militaries commit to defending each other in the case of an armed attack. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and PNG Prime Minister James Marape signed a defence communique in the capital Port Moresby on Wednesday instead of the anticipated mutual defence treaty. The wording has been agreed to."
"Waiting a little longer to sign the treaty with PNG was perfectly understandable, Albanese told reporters, adding that he expected it to be signed in the coming weeks. The communique today, as signed, outlines precisely what is in the treaty, Albanese said, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Marape told reporters there was no sticking point, suggesting that the mutual defence treaty could be signed shortly."
Australia and Papua New Guinea signed a defence communique in Port Moresby instead of a mutual defence treaty that would bind their militaries to defend each other in the event of an armed attack. Officials say the treaty wording has been agreed and the communique reflects the treaty’s contents, but the PNG cabinet failed to reach a quorum to endorse the treaty, producing a short delay expected to be resolved in coming weeks. Papua New Guinea’s leadership reported no substantive sticking point and denied Chinese involvement in the pause. A separate security partnership with Vanuatu also stalled amid coalition partner scrutiny of a roughly A$500 million package. Both agreements are framed as components of Australia’s strategy to respond to China’s growing influence in the Pacific.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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