Australia seeks to allay South-East Asian concerns over AUKUS nuclear submarine deal
Scott Morrison called to reassure Joko Widodo following Australia's controversial deal with the UK and the US to move to nuclear submarines. (AP:Tracey Nearmy/ABC News:Matt Roberts)
The Prime Minister and Australian diplomats are intensifying their efforts to reassure South-East Asian nations about the federal government's plan to build nuclear-powered submarines under a new defence technology pact with the UK and the US.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison spoke to Indonesian President Joko Widodo yesterday after the country’s Foreign Ministry said it was "deeply concerned about the continuing arms race and power projection in the region" after the announcement of the three-way agreement.
The ABC understands Mr Morrison reiterated to Mr Widodo that Australia would maintain its obligations under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) and said the new AUKUS security partnership with the UK and the US would contribute to stability and a "strategic balance" in the region.
A team of Australian officials will also head to Jakarta to provide further briefings to Indonesia.
Indonesia is not the only South-East Asian country to sound the alarm about the nuclear power submarines.
On the weekend, Malaysia's new Prime Minister, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, said the project could "provoke other powers to take more aggressive action in this region, especially in the South China Sea".
Some South-East Asian nations also worry that the new defence partnership between the US, Australia and the United Kingdom — known as AUKUS — could further marginalise the region's peak diplomatic group, the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Australian diplomats and defence officials are intensively briefing their counterparts across South-East Asia, in an effort to calm anxieties.
Senior Australian diplomat Will Nankervis says AUKUS "is not a defence alliance or pact". (AP: US Navy/File)
Australia's ambassador to ASEAN Will Nankervis yesterday issued a statement declaring that AUKUS "is not a defence alliance or pact" and that the agreement "does not change Australia's commitment to ASEAN nor our ongoing support for the ASEAN-led regional architecture".
The statement also stresses that Australia has no desire to acquire nuclear weapons and stresses that the proposed new submarines will not carry nuclear warheads.
"Australia remains staunch in our support for the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Australia will work closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure full compliance with our NPT obligations as a Non-Nuclear Weapon State," Mr Nankervis said.
"We remain committed to reinforcing international confidence in the integrity of the international non-proliferation regime, and to upholding our global leadership in this domain."
Not everyone is pleased about the new defence partnership between the US, UK and Australia. (Reuters: Andrew Harnik/Pool)
The statement could also be part of a broader diplomatic push to head off further criticisms from South-East Asian countries.
Some ASEAN nations have been pushing for the bloc to issue a joint statement raising concerns about AUKUS, although it is not yet clear if the initiative will succeed.
Not all South-East Asian nations harbour similar concerns to Indonesia and Malaysia.
Singapore has not raised any objections to the Australian government's announcement while the Philippines issued a statement saying Australia has the right to boost its defences.
The federal government also believes that Vietnam is comfortable with the proposal, although it has not yet issued any public statements.