DoD News Briefing.

Publication: M2 Presswire

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COPYRIGHT 2001 Ingram Investment Ltd.

M2 PRESSWIRE-31 July 2001-US DOD: DoD News Briefing (C)1994-2001 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:30072001

Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld

(Press conference at the American Embassy Canberra, Australia, with U.S. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, U.S. Navy Adm. Dennis C. Blair, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, Australian Defense Minister Peter Reith, and Australian Navy Adm. Chris Barrie.)

Downer: Right, well ladies and gentlemen, can I say we have just completed a very full and productive day's discussion with Secretary Powell and Secretary Rumsfeld and also Admiral Blair, the CINCPAC [Commander in Chief, Pacific].

The Australia-U.S. ministerial consultation is the most senior and important forum in the Australia-U.S. alliance and it gives very practical expression to what is a remarkably close and wide ranging partnership between our two countries.

Three facts distinguish this year's Australia-U.S. ministerial consultations [AUSMIN] from their predecessors. In the first place, symbolically, this is the first meeting of the new century. Secondly, it coincides with the 50th anniversary of the signing of the historic ANZUS treaty. And thirdly, this is the first AUSMIN that we have had with the new Bush administration. So, there's been no better way really to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ANZUS, than through the vitality and enthusiasm and interest at today's meetings.

Our talks are in particular focused on regional issues, on Asia-Pacific issues. They are focused on southeast Asia, and obviously, particularly, Indonesia and East Timor. They are focused on northeast Asia, China, the Korean peninsula, and so on. And we also had some discussions about broader multilateral arms control issues. We conveyed our appreciation for the Bush administration's emphasis on upgrading the U.S. alliance system, on strengthening alliances, and also the very strong commitment by the administration for the United States to play an active, constructive and peaceful role in the Asia-Pacific region.

If there is one particular feature of the ANZUS alliance which particularly stands out over and above the mechanical defense aspects of the relationship, it is the role that ANZUS plays in embracing the United States in the security architecture of the Asia-Pacific region. The alliance with Japan, the alliance with South Korea, the alliance with Australia through ANZUS, these links, on the part of the United States are fundamentally important to the involvement of the United States and the architecture of our region.

Without the United States, this region would be a much more uncertain place than it currently is. Let me just say in conclusion that Mr. Vaile took part in the trade discussions during a working lunch. We had some discussion there about the possibility of a free trade agreement, and we had some discussion about the WTO round and then some detailed issues that Mr. Vaile raised in particular. The question of resolving the problem of lamb exports to the United States, which I understand through discussions between Mr. Vaile and Bob Zoellick, the U.S. Trade Representative, it is fairly close to conclusion. So, Colin can I ask you to say a few words as well?

Powell: Thank you very much Alex, and let me, on behalf of Secretary Rumsfeld and the other members of our delegation, express our deep appreciation for all the hospitality that the government of Australia has shown to us in hosting this very important conference. We are very pleased to be here representing the new Bush administration, giving solid evidence to the proposition that the United States is a Pacific nation, has been a Pacific nation and will remain engaged in this region politically, diplomatically and with the presence of our military forces. Let there be no doubt about that. Don and my presence here today, I think, is solid evidence for that. I also want to join you in celebrating the 50th anniversary of this great alliance. And more than just the 50 years that the alliance has been together, but the more than 100 years that the United States and Australia have worked together for the cause of peace in this region, and fought side by side in every war in thi! ! ! s century.

Hopefully, there will be no wars in this new century that will require that kind of engagement in combat and we can achieve such a vision if we continue to work together. If we work together to help the nations in this region achieve their dreams through trade, economic activity. Through valuing human rights and individual rights by doing everything we can to encourage the spread of democracy, political democracy and economic democracy. And we spent most of our day talking about this.

We reviewed the situation in...

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