Obama, new Aus PM talk military
13 Sept 2013 5:50 AM IST
President Barack Obama called for the full implementation of plans to station US troops in Australia as he congratulated incoming prime minister Tony Abbott, the White House said on Thursday.
Obama late on Wednesday telephoned Abbott, whose conservative Liberal Party swept back to power on Saturday after six years, as well as outgoing prime minister Kevin Rudd, a close ally of the US leader.
The president and prime minister-elect discussed ways to further strengthen the US-Australia alliance, including by implementing fully the force posture initiatives announced by the United States and Australia in November 2011,’ White House statement said.
On a visit at the time to Australia, Obama said that more than 2,500 Marines would move by 2016-17 to the northern city of Darwin. The move was part of Obama’s so-called US ‘pivot’ policy of putting a greater emphasis on Asia.
US president Barack Obama has nominated Indian-American Puneet Talwar as assistant secretary of state for political military affairs, a top diplomatic post.
Talwar, who was Obama’s top advisor on the Middle East region for over four years was nominated for the position on Tuesday. He is the second Indian-American to be nominated as the assistant secretary position in the state department.
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