India, Australia decide to enhance security cooperation

India and Australia have decided to create a comprehensive framework for the enhancement of security cooperation between the two countries in a wide range of areas, including counter-terrorism, defence and disarmament and non-proliferation.

A Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation issued by the two countries after talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd said the framework would also include information exchange and policy coordination on regional affairs in the Asia region and on long-term strategic and global issues.

It would also cover bilateral cooperation within multilateral frameworks in Asia, in particular the East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum.

The two sides will under defence dialogue and cooperation within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation signed by them in March, 2006.

Other areas covered by the declaration include disaster management, maritime and aviation security and police and law enforcement.

The mechanisms of cooperation will include exchange of visits at high levels including by Foreign Ministers and defence cooperation, which will include defence policy talks at the level of senior officials and staff talks and service-to-service exchanges and joint exercises.

According to the declaration, there will be consultations between the National Security Advisers of the two countries, bilateral consultation to promote counter-terrorism cooperation through such means as the Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and sharing of knowledge and experience in disaster prevention and preparedness and capacity-building.

It said the two countries would work towards developing an action plan with specific measures to advance security cooperation.

According to the declaration, the strategic partnership between the two countries is based on a shared desire to promote, regional and global security, as well as their common commitment to democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law.

It also affirmed their deep respect for each other's contribution to promoting peace, stability and development in Asia and beyond.

The declaration affirmed their common purpose in working together, and with other countries including through such regional fora as the East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum to achieve the objective of a prosperous, open and secure Asia, and recognising that strengthened bilateral security cooperation will make a significant contribution in this context.

It recognised that India and Australia are partners with a mutual stake in each other's progress and prosperity and that they shared a common interest in maritime security.

The declaration affirmed their common commitment to fight terrorism and recognised that counter-terrorism efforts by India and Australia constitute an important part of the international community's effort to eradicate terrorism.

It affirmed their common commitment to fight trans-national and organised crime and reiterated their common commitment to global, complete and universal disarmament and non-proliferation and seeking a peaceful world free of nuclear weapons.

NNN