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Australian, UK ministers to talk security

By AAP Newswire

Jan 19, 2022

Foreign Affairs Marise Payne and Defence Minister Peter Dutton. — Marise Payne and Peter Dutton will discuss security with their UK counterparts at the AUKMIN talks. -AAP Image

Australia's foreign affairs and defence ministers are due to meet their British counterparts to discuss the ongoing partnership and the UK's role in the Indo-Pacific.

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The discussions will also span ways to strengthen cooperation in defence capability, cyber security and critical technology.

UK Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss will land in Sydney on Thursday morning and is due to hold bilateral talks with Foreign Minister Marise Payne.

Both will join UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Defence Minister Peter Dutton on Friday for the 2+2 ministerial meeting, dubbed AUKMIN.

Senator Payne said both countries have a shared interest in ensuring stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, as well as globally.

"The international environment is becoming more complex and challenging," she said.

"AUKMIN 2022 will consider ways to strengthen our partnership in order to meet new and emerging threats and seize the many opportunities that this era presents."

AUKMIN will also cover the promotion of human rights and gender equality.

The talks are the first such ministerial meeting hosted in Australia since the start of the pandemic.