US and Australian Defense Ministers Discuss Ways to Enhance Deterrence in the Indo-Pacific Region

Washington, Sept 2 (KUNA) – Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles held talks today, Wednesday, with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, focusing on bilateral cooperation to enhance deterrence capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. The U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) said in a statement that the talks, held at the Pentagon in Washington, coincided with the 75th anniversary of the ANZUS Treaty signed between the two countries in 1951, which focuses on ways to strengthen defense and military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. The statement added that Secretary Hegseth emphasized during the talks the need to rely on allies with “capability and efficiency” to contribute to joint defense efforts and invest in their sovereign security, while highlighting the alignment between the national defense strategies of both countries and expressing confidence in Australia’s efforts to maintain the regional balance of power to ensure the safety and prosperity of both nations. He noted that both sides agreed on the need to accelerate initiatives for the deployment of U.S. forces to Australian bases, enhance cooperation in joint logistics, and achieve a higher level of operational interoperability through joint exercises. The statement said Hegseth and Marles also discussed progress in defense industrial cooperation aimed at building joint capabilities in guided weapons and next-generation technologies, and examined developments in the AUKUS security partnership, which includes the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom, with the goal of enhancing security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region as a free and open area. (End) A.M.M. / R.J.