The Hindu : International : Japan, Australia sign security accord

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 14, 2007
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International

Japan, Australia sign security accord

P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE: Japan and Australia, close allies of the U.S., on Tuesday signed a declaration on security cooperation.

Both sides said the agreement, signed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Australian counterpart John Howard in Tokyo, was not a military pact.

Mr. Howard had said in Tokyo on Sunday there was "a possibility" the agreement, as envisioned, "could" lead to a "treaty" over time.

He said "it is the very good substance rather than the formal architecture" of the present deal "that matters."

The centrepiece of the declaration is the establishment of "two-plus-two security dialogue" involving the Foreign and Defence Ministers. A trilateral dialogue, involving the U.S., is endorsed.

Both Mr. Abe and Mr. Howard said the deal was not designed to checkmate any country in the Asia-Pacific region, notably China.

It is part of Mr. Abe's efforts to build closer strategic ties with not only the U.S. and Australia but also India on the basis of their shared values of democracy.

Key features of the document include cooperation on counter-terrorism and nuclear non-proliferation and in cracking down on international crimes.

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