For Immediate Release
July 9, 2004

Global Message

From remarks by Secretary of State Powell and Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld, U.S.-Australian Ministerial Press Conference, Washington, DC, 7/7/04

The United States and Australia are working together with citizens of many other countries to help the new Iraqi government with stabilization and reconstruction.

The United States and Australia shared concerns about North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons. We shared ways that we could cooperate with other countries to stem the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. We discussed how we partner with other countries in the region to enhance the security of international shipping.

Both Americans and Australians have been victims of terrorism. For us, the war is real and we will continue to fight terrorism to the end.

The United States and Australia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, pledging to work together on developing a system to defend our respective countries from missile attack. The goal is to help ensure that our nations are able to deter and defend against countries that have access to ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction.

The United States and Australia are creating a training center in Australia to test our forces in a wide range of scenarios. Because of these tests, our countries will be better able to integrate our military capabilities to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

The people of the United States appreciate the exceptional bravery, professionalism and skill of the Australian troops that are currently serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and other theaters in this global war on terror.