Will work with Quad partners to deepen practical cooperation in Indo-Pacific: Marise Payne
Canberra, Feb 10 (Agency) Ahead of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting tomorrow, Australia said on Thursday that it will continue to work to deepen the practical cooperation between the four partners, including to support the Indo-Pacific region’s recovery from Covid-19. Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, in a statement said, the four Foreign Ministers “will discuss our work together on vaccine distribution in our region, cyber and critical technology, countering disinformation, counterterrorism, maritime security, humanitarian and disaster response, and climate change.”
“This Friday in Melbourne I will host my counterparts from India, Japan and the United States for the fourth Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. “I look forward to welcoming Indian Minister of External Affairs Dr S. Jaishankar, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Hayashi Yoshimasa, and United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss our positive and ambitious agenda in support of a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific. “The Quad is a partnership with three of Australia’s closest partners and friends, each of whom share a commitment to openness and transparency.
Together we are a vital network of liberal democracies committed to practical cooperation and to ensuring all Indo-Pacific nations, large and small, are able to make their own strategic decisions, free from coercion. “We will continue to work to deepen this practical cooperation, including to support our region’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. “We will discuss our work together on vaccine distribution in our region, cyber and critical technology, countering disinformation, counterterrorism, maritime security, humanitarian and disaster response, and climate change.
“As we enter the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, our four countries have delivered more than 505 million vaccine doses under our pledge to donate more than 1.3 billion doses globally. “We will continue to champion ASEAN’s centrality for the region’s stability and prosperity, including by supporting the practical implementation of ASEAN’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. “This is the third in-person meeting of Quad Foreign Ministers, following Tokyo in October 2020 and the inaugural meeting in New York City in September 2019. Ministers last met virtually in February 2021. “All aspects of the visit will be conducted in strict adherence to the Victorian Government COVID-19 health guidelines and protocols,” she said.