Article Posted on : - Nov 09, 2010

United States Secretary of Defense Dr Robert Gates, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Minister for Foreign Affairs Kevin Rudd and Minister for Defence Stephen Smith take questions during an AUSMIN media conference at Government House in Melbourne. Photo: Australian MoD.

MELBOURNE (BNS): US and Australia have signed a new partnership agreement on Monday, which will provide improved intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

Defence Secretary Robert M. Gates announced the establishment of a new bilateral working group to develop options for enhanced US-Australian cooperation on Australian soil.

“These developments as evidence of a close alliance shaping itself for the future,” Gates said at the conclusion of the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations, known as AUSMIN.

The new working group, expected to begin work next month, will “look at the array of enhanced, joint activities we might be able to undertake” with the Australians, Gates added.

The group will explore areas such as greater US naval presence and port visits in the region, more military-to-military training opportunities and the pre-positioning of US humanitarian assistance and disaster relief equipment in Australia.

The group also will look into opportunities to base US military members in Australia to work directly with their Australian counterparts.

On Monday, Gates and Smith have signed a Space Situational Awareness Partnership statement of principles that will expand defence space cooperation between the United States and Australia.

AUSMIN is the premier forum for strengthening the Australia-United States alliance and it is held on a reciprocal basis every year and 2010 marks its 25th anniversary as well as 70 years of formal diplomatic relations between Australia and the United States.