Australia to begin talks on security, defence with EU
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese looks on as he speaks to the media at Downing Street in London, Britain May 5, 2023. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska/File Photo
SYDNEY - Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday the country would commence negotiations on a security and defence partnership with the European Union, and was also hopeful of a "symbolically important" trade deal.
Albanese met with the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa on the sidelines of the G7 summit where they discussed the EU proposal for a defence partnership.
"We see this as an important framework for our current and future cooperation in areas like defence industry, cyber and counter-terrorism," Albanese told a news conference in Kananaskis where he is attending the G7 summit.
Ministers from both sides will progress the talks in the coming weeks, Albanese said, adding he expected discussions to be concluded "pretty quickly".
The EU struck defence partnerships with Japan and South Korea in November.
EU officials have previously said these are not military alliances.
Albanese said he was hopeful that recently revived negotiations for a separate free trade agreement with the European Union would result in a deal.
"At this time its also symbolically important to see an outcome of an expansion of trade, because that is something that is going through difficult times at the moment," he told reporters.
Albanese said "half" of the outstanding issues had been resolved, although Australia wanted to see greater access for its sheep and beef exports to Europe.
Albanese met with senior U.S. trade officials, after the Australian leader's scheduled meeting with President Donald Trump was cancelled when Trump left the G7 a day early.
Australia has highlighted its abundance of critical minerals in negotiations with the United States as it seeks to have U.S. tariffs lifted. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
India's Modi maintains there was no US mediation in ceasefire with Pakistan
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands as they attend a joint press conference at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 13, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo India's Modi maintains there was no US mediation in ceasefire with Pakistan NEW DELHI - India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi maintained in a conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump late on Tuesday that a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after a four-day conflict in May was achieved through talks between the two militaries and not U.S. mediation, India's senior-most diplomat said Trump had said last month that the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours agreed to a ceasefire after talks mediated by the U.S., and that the hostilities ended after he urged the countries to focus on trade instead of war. "PM Modi told President Trump clearly that during this period, there was no talk at any stage on subjects like India-U.S. trade deal or U.S. mediation between India and Pakistan," Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in a press statement. "Talks for ceasing military action happened directly between India and Pakistan through existing military channels, and on the insistence of Pakistan. Prime Minister Modi emphasised that India has not accepted mediation in the past and will never do," he said. Misri said the two leaders spoke over the phone at the insistence of Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada which Modi attended as a guest. The call lasted 35 minutes. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the Modi-Trump call. Pakistan has previously said that the ceasefire happened after its military returned a call the Indian military had initiated on May 7. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Bolsonaro's son and allies accused in Brazil spy agency case, source says
FILE PHOTO: Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro reacts as he leaves the Federal Police headquarters after testifying, in Brasilia, Brazil, June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Adriano Machado/File photo BRASILIA - Former President Jair Bolsonaro's son and allies have been formally accused by Brazilian federal police after a probe into the alleged surveillance of authorities by spy agency ABIN during Bolsonaro's time in office, a police source and local media said. A police statement confirmed that the investigation had concluded but did not mention names of suspects. Local media and a police source said earlier that the former president had also been formally accused in the case. Later, however, local media said he had not been accused. A second police source said he has not been formally accused because he is already a defendant for the same crime - being part of a criminal organization - in a separate case about an attempted coup. According to the police statement, the investigation is centered on "the illegal monitoring of public authorities and the production of fake news, using ABIN's systems." A final report has been submitted to the Supreme Court but is under seal. Carlos Bolsonaro, a Rio de Janeiro city councilor, was formally accused of using information obtained illegally through the scheme to attack targets via social media, according to the first police source. In a series of posts on social media, the younger Bolsonaro said the accusation aimed to harm him ahead of 2026 elections, adding that "even talking became a crime". Jair Bolsonaro's lawyer told Reuters that he was not aware of the case and had not seen the police report. Alexandre Ramagem, the former head of ABIN under Bolsonaro's administration, and Luiz Fernando Correa, the current head of the agency, were also formally accused, according to the police source who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue. Ramagem is believed to have set up the scheme while Correa is suspected of obstructing the police investigation during President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's administration, the source said. Ramagem said in a post on X that he will analyze the accusations once he has access to the police report. He called the probe an act of "creativity addressed to the press". ABIN declined to comment. The parallel structure in ABIN set up under the Bolsonaro government monitored at least three Supreme Court justices and a former Lower House speaker, according to Supreme Court documents. It will now be up to the prosecutors' office to decide whether to file charges. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
India regulator says no ‘major safety concerns' on Air India's Boeing 787 fleet
Some 24 of Air India's 33 Boeing 787 aircraft had completed an 'enhanced safety inspection'. PHOTO: REUTERS India's aviation safety watchdog said on June 17 surveillance conducted on Air India's Boeing 787 fleet did not reveal any major safety concerns, days after one of its jets crashed, killing at least 271 people. 'The aircraft and associated maintenance systems were found to be compliant with existing safety standards,' the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London with 242 people on board crashed seconds after take-off in Ahmedabad on June 12, hitting nearby buildings. All but one passenger on board were killed, along with about 30 people on the ground. The DGCA also said 24 of Air India's 33 Boeing 787 aircraft had completed an 'enhanced safety inspection' it had ordered the airline to carry out. The regulator, in a meeting with senior officials of Air India, raised concerns about recent maintenance-related issues reported by the airline. It advised the carrier to 'strictly adhere to regulations', strengthen coordination across its businesses and ensure availability of adequate spares to mitigate passenger delays, it added. The DGCA had met senior officials of Air India and Air India Express to review their operations amid increasing flight volumes. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
