New Zealand Defense Minister Phil Goff is to leave for Sydney on Wednesday to attend the annual bilateral defense talks with Australia, hosted by his Australian counterpart, Brendan Nelson.
Goff said Tuesday the situations in Timor-Leste and the Solomon Islands will be the lead items in discussions but "we will also look at wider issues of stability within the South Pacific."
"On Timor-Leste we will be discussing what needs to be done post election to ensure peace and stability is maintained which will allow us to create an exit strategy for the international force serving there," said Goff.
Other agenda items include global defense commitments, the current situation in Afghanistan, security in Asia and trans- national security issues.
On RAMSI (The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands) mission in the Solomon Islands, Goff noted that it has been effective, saying "The developments there represent a marked improvement in peace and stability."
The defense talks between Australia and New Zealand are regular and Goff said it's also substantive, "and both reinforce the close dialogue we enjoy on security issues and contribute to the interoperability between our forces on matters of mutual concern."
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article