Joe Biden meets Morrison amid AUKUS row, says US has ‘no closer ally than Australia’

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday called Australia  a "closest and most trusted ally" of the United States as he met with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the sidelines of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly. “The United States has no closer or more reliable ally than Australia. Our countries have stood shoulder to shoulder for a very long time. We can rely on each other, and this is very encouraging,” the US president said after the two allies held a meeting for the first time after reaching the strategic 'AUKUS' agreement that has angered France. Australia unilaterally obliterated the 2016 multi-billion dollar nuclear-sub contract with Paris for a trilateral deal involving Washington, a move France labelled "betrayal", "a stab in the back", and one that "shows a lack of coherence".

Backing Washington's new partnership with Canberra, Biden said, the United States intends to provide “free and open regions of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.” “This is a conversation that we will continue with Japan and India on Friday at the first face-to-face meeting of the leaders of the Quartet. This is a historic event,” he said, referring to the  Quadripartite Security Dialogue scheduled for September 24 in Washington.

“The US and Australia are working in complete synchronization on the challenges that I outlined in my speech at the UN today,” Biden said. “I really meant what I said [earlier from the rostrum of the UN General Assembly]: We are at a turning point, the situation is changing. We can either tackle these changes, or stay behind. All of us,” the US President re-iterated. 

Australian PM tells Biden 'there’s no doubt you get it'

Referring to the Australian Prime Minister as “Scott” this time, US President Biden thanked him for his cooperation and diplomacy as he handed the floor to him to deliver remarks. Last week, at the press conference whilst signing the trilateral AUKUS deal, the US President appeared to forget Morrison’s name and called him “that fella Down Under”.  Addressing Biden, meanwhile, Morrison said: “I want to thank you for your leadership and your focus on the Indo-Pacific region. There’s no doubt you get it.”

Earlier providing clarification on the AUKUS pact, the Australian Prime Minister had said: “We intend to build these submarines in Adelaide in close cooperation with the UK and the US. But let me be clear, Australia is not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.” Morrison hailed the UK-US partnership calling Joe Biden and Boris Johnson as “Australia's good friends”.  Morrison was expected to join British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for dinner at the Australian ambassador’s residence in Washington later in the day.