UK, Australia to recommit to defense pact after annual meeting

LONDON, Dec 16 (KUNA) -- The British Foreign Secretary David Lammy along with Defence Secretary John Healey hosted on Monday Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Deputy Prime Minister and Defence of Australia Minister Richard Marles, at an annual ministerial meeting.
A statement by the British Foreign Office said, "they discussed cooperation on issues including Ukraine, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific." They announced a series of major initiatives, the deployment of the UK Carrier Strike Group to Australia in 2025, Extended Australian support for training Ukrainian Armed Forces, New submarine program office in Bristol, the statement noted.
The AUKUS submarine program is set to generate 7,000 additional British jobs and at its peak, there will be over 21,000 people working on the SSN-AUKUS programs in the UK supply chain.
This will support the government's plan to kick start economic growth, and drive forward economic stability and investment.
A new office in Bristol, Program Interface Office" to coordinate and integrate the UK and Australian AUKUS programs and supply chains.
Through the growth mission, the government is restoring economic stability, increasing investment and reforming the economy to drive up prosperity and living standards across the UK. (end) nbs.mb