By GEORGINA MICHAEL
AUSTRALIA and Papua New Guinea are expected to sign a new defence treaty in the leadup to PNG’s 50th Independence Anniversary in September.
Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Richard Marles, said this when presenting 12 armored vehicles to the PNG Defence Force last weekend.
“It is wonderful to be here representing my country. It is an opportunity to reaffirm the very strong relationship between our two countries, which is growing stronger by the day and the state of our relationship on the 50th anniversary of the independence of PNG is a credit to both countries,” Mr Marles said.
“The Defense Agreement is an example of the sort of things that we will be talking about come independence and we are really looking forward to what we will have to say about the future of this relationship that will be stronger than it has ever been over the last 50 years.
“The updated Defense Agreement was discussed beginning January of this year and we’ll have more to say on the content of it as it is signed in the lead up to Independence Day.
” A powerful work has been done by officials of PNG and Australia to have this done in time before independence day. That was the announcement we made when we both announced this back in January.”
PNG Defence Minister Billy Joseph responded: “I do agree that in our very close relationship we had with Australia over the last 50 years and beyond that, our nations’ people to people, defense to defense, government to government relationships has gone in leaps and bounds.
“And to really celebrate that, on the 50th, we’ll be signing our PNGDF and ADF Defense Treaty and I do believe that that is the beginning of more greater things to come.”