(Canberra) The United Kingdom and Australia signed a new defense agreement on Thursday in Canberra, paving the way for the mutual reception of troops and which should revive their alliance with the United States on propulsion submarines nuclear.
The document includes a “status of forces agreement,” according to ministers from both countries, which facilitates the deployment and operations of soldiers from each nation in the other.
British Defense Minister Grant Shapps signed the agreement, with his Australian counterpart, Richard Marles, during a ceremony at parliament in Canberra.
The agreement does not constitute a full-fledged mutual defense pact, which would require one side to intervene if the other was attacked or threatened.
But both sides said they were “committed to engaging” each other in the event of a threat.
“As the world becomes more complex and uncertain, we must modernize our most important partnerships,” said Richard Marles.
“The agreements we reached today will guarantee this result in the future,” he added.
A status of forces agreement, common between NATO members, defines the rules applicable to foreign military personnel based in a host country.
Australia already has a long-standing status of forces agreement with the United States.
Alongside the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom are members of the fledgling AUKUS defense alliance, a pact aimed at curbing Chinese military expansion in the Asia-Pacific region.
One of the main pillars of the AUKUS pact aims to provide Australia with a fleet of powerful nuclear-powered submarines, but after two years of existence it faces many challenges.
The agreement signed Thursday could give it new momentum, according to David Andrews, security analyst at the Australian National University.
“If there was a Trump administration at the end of the year and for whatever reason they were not interested in continuing the deal, or not in the same way that it is envisaged today, there is potential for a stronger bilateral path,” Andrews told AFP.
Thursday’s agreement would thus facilitate, for example, the training of Australian sailors on British nuclear submarines, or the installation of British crews in Australia.
“This agreement demonstrates increased engagement between our two defense forces,” Australian Defense Minister Marles said. “And it will greatly simplify our ability to work together.”
Australia is actively participating in the United States’ efforts to counter China in the Asia-Pacific region.
The agreement notably provides for “closer collaboration on submarine warfare” and a greater contribution from the United Kingdom to joint military exercises organized by Australia.
Australia also announced it was joining a coalition with the United Kingdom and Latvia that aims to supply drones for Ukraine’s war effort.