The Taylor Star-aerospace & defence: Antony Blinken

Showing posts with label Antony Blinken. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 13, 2024

Pacific Perspective:AUSMIN Focused on Containing China,Part 1

Joint Statement on Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) 2024:Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosted Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong and Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Richard Marles on 06 AUG 2024 in Annapolis,Maryland to strengthen further the U.S.-Australian Alliance and the two countries' cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and globally.The Secretaries and Ministers (principals) reaffirmed the U.S.-Australia Alliance is essential to promoting a prosperous and peaceful region.The principals expressed the importance of history and values shared by the United States and Australia and renewed their commitment to support a stable and open international system that protects each nation's ability to make sovereign decisions free from coercion or threats of force.* The principals welcomed action by both governments that build upon the commitments made during the visit of Prime Minister Albanese in the United States and his meeting with President Biden in October 2023 across the full spectrum of the bilateral relationship,to build an "Innovation Alliance."These include 1.Australia's endorsement of the United States' Framework to Counter Foreign State Misinformation Manipulation through a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)...2.Continued progress by the Australia-U.S. Crtical Minerals Task Force (CMTF) to persue secure and diverse critical mineral supply chains,increase investment in mining and processing projects in our respective countries and enhance market transparency.*Delivering for the Indo-Pacific:The principals committed to strengthen cooperation further,bilaterally and with regional Partners and institutions;to ensure an Indo-Pacific that is open,stable,peaceful and prosperous;that promotes and protects human rights and that is respectful of sovereignty and international law...The principals stressed the need for all countries to manage strategic competition responsibly and to work to reduce risks of conflict.They emphasised the importance of maintaining open channels with China to avoid miscommunication or miscalculation that could lead to unintended escalation or conflict.The principals ecouraged China to engage constructively and take steps to promote stability and transparency...The principles underscored the importance of all states being free to exercise rights and freedom consistent with international law as consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),including freedom of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the sea.They reiterated their strong oppositon to destabilising or coercive unilateral actions in the maritime domain,including in the South China Sea and the East China Sea,that increase tensions and undermine peace and stability.*The principals expressed concern about China's excessive maritime claims in the South China Sea that are inconsistent with international law and unilateral actions to change the status quo by force or coercion.They noted grave concern about China's dangerous and escalating behaviour toward Philippines vessels lawfully operating in the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).The principals reaffirmed the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award as final and binding on all parties and reconfirmed their resolve to work with Partners to support regional maritime security and uphold international law.*

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

NATO Secretary General with 🇺🇸 US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, O3 APR 2024

Monday, December 18, 2023

Defence Cooperation:US and Finland Bulk Up NATO's Eastern Flank

According to a Government of Finland Press Release,in its plenary session on 14 December 2023,the Finnish Government decided to propose that the President of the Republic,Sauli Niinisto,authorise Minister of Defence Antii Hakkonen to sign the Defence Cooperation Agreement with the United States.This was carried out on 18 December 2023 in the State Department Treaty Room in Washington,DC,with Secretary of State Antony Blinken signing along with Defence Minister Hakkonen,in the presence of Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen.The agreement is subject to ratification by the Finnish Parliament and the US Senate.*The US is one of Finland's most important allies.Negotiations for the DCA were opened in August 2022.It is a binding agreement under international law.The negotiations concluded in October 2023.President Niinisto and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy decided in favour of approving the result of the negotiations on 27 November 2023.Parliament was kept informed on the progress of the negotiations in accordance with sections 47 and 97 of the Constitution.*The DCA will strengthen Finland's defence as it enables the presence and training of US forces on and the prepositioning of defence materiel on the territory of Finland,according to the Press Release.Thus it will also bolster NATO's deterrence and defence policy.According to Foreign Minister Valtonen,the DCA will:strengthen Finland's defence and enable cooperation in all security situations.The DCA also has regional importance,and it will help Finland contribute to NATO's collective defence efforts.*Said Minister of Defence Antii Hakkonen:The signature of the DCA is not an end point,but a new step towards even closer cooperation between Finland and the United States.The agreement reflects the United States' committment to Finland's security and it creates the conditions for cooperation in times of crises.Finland is not alone in defending itself,but does so as a NATO Ally and together with the United States.*The DCA deals with such matters as US access to,and use of,the 15 agreed facilities and areas;prepositioning of defence equipment,supplies and materiel on the territiory of Finland;entry and movement of US aircraft,vessels and vehicles;ensuring the protection,safety and security of US forces and the facilities and areas they use;and devises practical matters related to US forces on the territory of Finland,including the activity of US and Finnish contractors.The 15 agreed facilities and areas are listed in Annex A to the agreement.Finland will authorise the United States unimpeded access to and use of the facilities and areas for activities listed in the DCA.As a rule,the cooperation between Finland and the United States will focus on the agreed facilities and areas.However,the DCA will apply to the entire area of Finland.*The United States will commit to conducting all activities under the DCA with full respect for the sovereignty,laws,and international obligations of Finland.No nuclear weapons are permitted on Finnish territory.Regular provisions of the DCA contain obligations of the parties regarding consultations,respect for shared views,and coordination of measures to ensure the proper implementation of the agreement.*According to Annex A,the facilities and areas include:Ivalos Border Guard Base;Kuopio,Rissala,Konelin Air Command Base;various storage and training areas;Roveniemi (on the Arctic Circle) Lapland Air Command Base and Jaeger Brigade Garrison;Tampere-Pirkkala,Satekune Air Command Base;Jyvaskyla-Tikkakoski Air Force Academy Air Base;and Upinniemi Navy Base and Garrison in Kirkonummi including Russaro Island.*Finalnd's border with Russia runs for 1340 km/830 mi.It mainly crosses taiga forests and sparsely populated rural araeas.The border has been completely closed until at least 14 January 2024 because of an influx of undocumented migrants into Finland at two border crossings-an act of suspected hybrid warfare by Russia to destabilise Finland.