Australia is set to begin negotiations on a new security and defence partnership with the European Union, while also pushing for a long-anticipated trade agreement, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced at the G7 summit.
The agreement, discussed during his meetings with EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa at the G7 summit, would focus on areas such as defence industry collaboration, cyber security, and counter-terrorism, without including military deployment commitments.
Albanese emphasized that the agreement would strengthen cooperation and enable potential joint defence procurement, underlining growing security ties between Europe and the Indo-Pacific. EU officials have clarified that the arrangement would not constitute a military alliance, similar to existing partnerships with Japan and South Korea.
"We see this as an important framework for our current and future cooperation in areas like defence industry, cyber and counter-terrorism," he said.
Albanese also expressed optimism about the resumption of negotiations on a free trade agreement with the EU. He noted that around half of the pending issues have been resolved, but highlighted Australia's interest in expanded market access for its beef and sheep exports.
"Both of us emphasised that at this time it's the substance that's important. But it's also symbolically important to see an outcome of an expansion of trade," the Australian Prime Minister announced.
On the sidelines of the summit, Albanese also held discussions with senior U.S. trade officials following the early departure of President Donald Trump, which led to the cancellation of their scheduled meeting. Australia has been advocating for the removal of U.S. tariffs, emphasizing its rich supply of critical minerals.
The U.S. will impose "never seen before" measures on Iran in order to economically isolate the country, Washington's Treasury Secreta...
Record rainfall in Japan’s Chiba Prefecture has killed four people and left thousands stranded overnight at Tokyo’s Narita Airport, as ...
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) Ebola outbreak has spread to a sixth province. A man died of the v...
Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has increased the strategic importance of Bab al-Mandab, raising fears that instability in both waterways could trigger a wider global energy and trade crisis.
Flights at Catania airport in Sicily will remain suspended until early Friday as ash from Mount Etna continues to disrupt air travel, following hundreds of cancellations and diversions over the past week.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source who said there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and define a timeframe to implement it.
Russia has accused Ukraine of threatening global grain supplies after recent strikes on Black Sea agricultural infrastructure, while Moscow carried out a new overnight attack on Ukraine’s major Danube port of Izmail.
The suspension of two major grain terminals in Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk could increase pressure on Kazakhstan’s agricultural market if Russian exporters divert supplies to Central Asia at discounted prices.
Georgia’s Prime Minister says the EU’s inclusion of a major Black Sea cable project on a key infrastructure list is fresh evidence of the country’s importance to regional energy and digital connectivity.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has dismissed Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan and appointed former parliament speaker Alen Simonyan as his replacement.
Central Asia’s economy has surpassed $543 billion, driven by Kazakhstan’s economic weight, strong exports and foreign investment, while growing trade across Asia points to an increasingly connected region.
The United Nations refugee agency is planning a settlement and carpet-weaving workshop for Afghan returnees in Kabul as the country grapples with large-scale returns and growing pressure on housing, jobs and basic services.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment