AUKUS Does Not Change Australia's Commitment to ASEAN: Australian Ambassador

Jakarta: As ASEAN's oldest Dialogue Partner, Australia is a committed supporter of ASEAN centrality, Australian Ambassador to ASEAN Will Nankervis has stated.
 
"We support an open, inclusive and prosperous region with ASEAN at its heart, consistent with the objectives and principles of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific," he said in a statement on Monday.
 
"Our commitment to ASEAN centrality remains as steadfast as ever following the announcement that we will create an enhanced security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and United States – AUKUS – that will allow us to better share technology and capability. It is not a defence alliance or pact," he stated.

According to him, this new agreement does not change Australia's commitment to ASEAN nor our ongoing support for the ASEAN-led regional architecture. 
 
"We are committed to continuing to foster a peaceful, secure region with ASEAN at its centre, and to complementing and strengthening the existing ASEAN-led architecture," he said.
 
"As a three-ocean nation dependent on seaborne international trade, our naval capabilities are vital to Australia. For the first initiative under the AUKUS partnership, Australia will build a nuclear-powered submarine fleet, leveraging expertise from the United States and the United Kingdom," he stated.
 
While these submarines will be nuclear powered, he said, they will not carry nuclear weapons. 
 
"Australia does not and will not seek such weapons. Nor do we seek to establish a civil nuclear capability," he stressted.
 
Moreover, the Ambassador said, Australia remains staunch in its support for the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). 
 
"Australia will work closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure full compliance with our NPT obligations as a Non-Nuclear Weapon State. We remain committed to reinforcing international confidence in the integrity of the international non-proliferation regime, and to upholding our global leadership in this domain," he underlined.
 
As a party to the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty, the Ambassador explained, Australia understands the critical importance to the countries of Southeast Asia of the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone Treaty. 
 
"Australia will at all times ensure our actions support these important treaties," he added.
 
According to the Australian Ambassador, Australia is a strong supporter of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. 
 
"We are committed to the principles in the Outlook, including ASEAN centrality, openness, transparency, inclusivity, good governance, a rules-based framework and respect for sovereignty and international law. And we are also committed to continuing concrete cooperation under the four areas of the Outlook – maritime, connectivity, Sustainable Development Goals and economic development," he stated.
 
"Australia is also committed to upholding our obligations under the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, as we have since we acceded in 2005, and to working with ASEAN and its member states to advance peace and prosperity in our region.  We do this so that we can all grow and prosper in an open, stable and inclusive region, with ASEAN at its centre," he concluded.
 
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