LONDON, July 25 (KUNA) -- A new 50 year AUKUS treaty will underpin the UK and Australian submarine programs, expected to be worth up to آ£20 billion to the UK in exports over the next 25 years, according to the Foreign Office.
UK Defense Secretary John Healey and Foreign Secretary are expected to travel to Australia later Friday to meet their Australian counterparts, the office said in a press release late Thursday.
Healey said, "AUKUS is one of Britain's most important defense partnerships, strengthening global security while driving growth at home." "This historic Treaty confirms our AUKUS commitment for the next half century. Through the Treaty, we are supporting high-skilled, well-paid jobs for tens of thousands of people in both the UK and Australia, delivering on our Plan for Change today and for the generations to come. There are people not yet born who will benefit from the jobs secured through this defense deal," he said.
"Our deep defense relationship with Australia - from our work together to support Ukraine, share vital intelligence, and develop innovative technology - makes us secure at home and strong abroad," he said.
For his part, Lammy said, "The UK-Australia relationship is like no other, and in our increasingly volatile and dangerous world, our anchoring friendship has real impact in the protection of global peace and prosperity." "Our new bilateral treaty is an embodiment of that - safeguarding a free and open Indo Pacific whilst catalyzing growth for both our countries," he added.
"This is how our government delivers the Plan for Change - protecting our national security and stability whilst generating jobs for Brits," Lamy said.
The Foreign Secretary and Defense Secretary will travel to Australia as the Carrier Strike Group and more than 3,000 British military personnel take part in the largest military exercise Australia has ever hosted. (end) nbs.mt