US Secy Antony Blinken to visit Australia next week to attend QUAD Foreign Ministers meet

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Australia from February 9 to 12 to attend the fourth QUAD Foreign Ministers Meeting, hosted by Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne. According to a press release by the US State Department, Blinken will also meet with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and other senior officials to discuss a wide range of bilateral and global issues. 

This will also be the first time EAM Jaishankar will be meeting his US counterpart in person over the last two years. However, both leaders were in constant touch with each other, as per reports. During his visit, US State Secretary Blinken is also expected to meet with students, scholars, and technology leaders in Melbourne. Further, he will also visit Fiji and Hawaii to meet with Indo-Pacific allies and partners in an attempt to enhance peace, resilience, and prosperity in the region and make sure that these alliances deliver.

Blinken to meet Pacific Island leaders in Fiji

The top US diplomat will meet with Pacific Island leaders in Fiji on February 12 to discuss the climate crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and disaster relief. He is also expected to talk about ways to strengthen shared commitment to democracy, regional unity, and Pacific prosperity, the release stated. Blinken will also meet with Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties and advance a free and open Indo-Pacific. 

The US Secretary will host Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa and South Korea's Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong in Hawaii for a trilateral ministerial meeting. In the meeting, they would discuss concerns posed by North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes. Besides, leaders of all three countries are also expected to discuss ways to tackle 21st-century issues together, the release stated. 

US, India share a relationship that stands on its own merits: Ned Price

Meanwhile, addressing a regular press briefing on February 3, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that the US and India share a relationship that stands on its own merits. He was responding to a question regarding the India-US relationship in the context of the West's growing tensions with Russia. On being asked, how he sees India's stance in the UN Security Council on the issue of Ukraine, Price said that he will leave it to his Indian partners to discuss their stance in the UNSC on the issue.  

"We have been in touch with literally dozens of countries around the world, including our Indian partners, on our concerns regarding Russia’s military buildup and its unprovoked potential aggression against Ukraine. These are conversations that we have had at many different levels," Price said, as per the release. 

Speaking on the India-China border issue, the US State Department spokesperson said that the US will continue to support direct dialogue and a peaceful resolution of border disputes. "We have previously expressed our displeasure with Beijing's continuous attempts to intimidate its neighbours. We always stand with our friends, partners, and allies to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values in the Indo-Pacific," Price added. 

(Image: AP)