60th Anniversary Of ANZUS Treaty

"[On September 1st,] we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the ANZUS Treaty, which remains a keystone of our relationship with Australia, and an enduring force for stability in the wider [Asia-Pacific] region," U.S. Department of State Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said in a statement recently released in Washington, DC.

The ANZUS Treaty is the military alliance which binds Australia and the United States to cooperate on mutual defense It was concluded in San Francisco on September 1st, 1951, and entered into force on April 29th, 1952. The Treaty stated that "the Parties will consult together whenever in the opinion of any of them the territorial integrity, political independence, or security of any of the Parties is threatened."

"Few nations share closer ties than Australia and the United States," Deputy Spokesperson Toner said. "Australia promptly invoked its alliance obligations following September 11, 2001 - something Americans will long remember. The brave men and women of our armed forces have fought side by side in every major battle since the First World War. Today, our soldiers, diplomats, and aid workers are working together in Afghanistan. Equally important, we have strengthened our cooperation across other significant challenges - from environmental degradation to our joint commitment to economic development in Africa and the Pacific."

The United States-Australia Ministerial Consultations hold regular meetings. The next Consultations will take place later in September at San Francisco’s Presidio complex, where the original ANZUS Treaty documents were signed 60 years ago.

Australian Foreign Minister Rudd, Defense Minister Smith, and other Foreign Ministerial personnel will meet as usual with their American counterparts. Deputy Spokesperson Toner concluded, "We will continue to strengthen this significant alliance in the decades to come."