United States of America

Minister Payne announces the appointment of Ms Andrea Gleason as Australia’s next Consul-General in Honolulu.

The Quad is a key pillar of Australia’s international agenda, bringing together four like-minded democracies committed to respecting and upholding international rules and obligations through positive, practical engagement to protect and support the sovereignty, prosperity and security of the region.

Minister Payne announces the appointment of the Hon Nicholas Greiner AC as Australia’s next Consul-General in New York.

Later today, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Marise Payne will join her counterparts, the US Secretary of State, the Foreign Minister of Japan and the External Affairs Minister of India, for the third Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

Australia welcomes the extension of the New START Treaty (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) between the United States and Russia.

We note the UK Court’s decision in relation to the application to extradite Mr Julian Assange to the United States, which the Court has made on the grounds of his mental health and consequent suicide risk.

On 18 December, senior officials from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the foreign ministries of India, Japan and the United States met by videoconference to progress initiatives agreed by ministers at the second Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in October in Tokyo.
 

Following an invitation from India, Australia will participate in Exercise MALABAR 2020.

Minister Payne met the Foreign Minister of Japan, the External Affairs Minister of India and the Secretary of State of the United States for the second Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

Senior officials from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade met by videoconference with representatives from the foreign ministries of India, Japan and the United States on 25 September for Quad consultations on the Indo-Pacific.