UK, US and Australian defense ministers arrive for AUKUS meeting in London

(26 Sep 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

++AUDIO AS INCOMING++

ASSOCIATED PRESS
London, UK - 26 September 2024
1. Wide of welcome ceremony before AUKUS meeting
2. Mid of UK Defence Secretary John Healey, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles standing for welcome ceremony
3. Various of Healey, Austin and Marles standing while national anthems being played
4. Mid of Healey, Austin and Marles walking towards a guard of honor
5. Various of Healey, Austin and Marles walking past guard of honor
6. Band playing music
7. Healey, Austin and Marles walking into building
8. Various of Healey, Austin and Marles posing for photo
9. Various of Healey, Austin and Marles greeting officials
10. Wide of people walking upstairs
11. Wide of Healey, Austin and Marles seated for the meeting
12. SOUNDBITE (English) John Healey, UK Defence Secretary:
"Our new UK government will work to maximize the benefits of AUKUS to our three nations - advancing technology, developing new military capabilities, securing economic gains and growing good jobs. But above all, we will work to maximize the potential for this ever-closer alliance to reinforce global security and stability."
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of Defense:
"AUKUS is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. It's a pledge to strengthen our shared commitment to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region. For the past three years, our defense forces, industrial bases and scientific communities have delivered on the promise of this historic project. When we met in California last December, we reaffirmed our commitment to the optimal pathway to help Australia acquire conventionally armed nuclear power submarines. Since then, we've done even more to build up a strong foundation for this partnership to build on for the decades to come. So on behalf of President Biden, let me reaffirm the US commitment to ensure that Australia acquires this capability as soon as possible while upholding the highest non-proliferation standards."
14. Mid of Marles speaking
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Richard Marles, Australian Defence Minister:
"The optimal path by which Australia will acquire nuclear power submarine capability with the help of the United Kingdom and the United States, it's the second time in history that we have seen one country transfer this technology to another, the first being, of course, when the United States provided that technology to the United Kingdom. The gravity of this is not lost on Australia. The significance for our nation in acquiring this capability is indeed enormous. It is one of the biggest leaps in our military capability that will have happened in our history."
16. Wide of meeting

STORYLINE:
UK Defence Secretary John Healey welcomed his American and Australian counterparts to London on Thursday as he hosted a AUKUS meeting.

It is the first trilateral defence chiefs AUKUS meeting to be held outside of the US to ensure strategic partnerships in the Indo-Pacific.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles were welcomed by a guard of honour ahead of the meeting.

"AUKUS is a once in a generation opportunity. It's a pledge to strengthen our shared commitment to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region," said Austin at an opening remarks.

"On behalf of President Biden, let me reaffirm the US commitment to ensure that Australia acquires this capability as soon as possible while upholding the highest nonproliferation standards," he added.


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