USA: UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT DENIES REPORTS THAT IT WANTS TO BUILD A NEW MILITARY BASE IN AUSTRALIA.

Record ID: 337651

  • Title: USA: UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT DENIES REPORTS THAT IT WANTS TO BUILD A NEW MILITARY BASE IN AUSTRALIA.
  • Date: 25th June 1996
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (JUNE 25, 1996) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV/PAN: U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WILLIAM PERRY GREETING AUSTRALIAN MINISTER OF DEFENCE IAN MCLACHLAN AT THE PENTAGON/PERRY ESCORTING MCLACHLAN THROUGH HONOUR CORDON 0.10 2. MV: DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE SIGN 0.15 3. GV: PERRY AND MCLACHLAN SHAKING HANDS 0.20 4. SV/MCU: PERRY SPEAKING (ENGLISH)/ PAN TO MCLACHLAN WHO MAKES SPEAKS TO PRESS (ENGLISH) 1.35 -------------------------------------------------------------------- TRANSCRIPT SEQUENCE 4: PERRY: "WE'RE NOT PLANNING TO DISCUSS THAT. IT'S NOT A MATTER OF PRESENT CONSIDERATION. (CUTAWAY). IN AUSTRALIA, FOR SOME TIME, THIS IS SIMPLY EXPANDING THE TRAINING THERE SO THAT WE CAN CONDUCT LARGER SCALE AMPHIBIOUS EXERCISES. THERE IS MUCH MORE SPACE TO CONDUCT LARGE SCALE AMPHIBIOUS EXERCISES IN AUSTRALIA THAN THERE IS IN ANY OTHER BASE WE HAVE ACCESS TO IN THE PACIFIC." -------------------------------------------------------------------- TRANSCRIPT SEQUENCE 4: MCLACHLAN: "I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT TODAY, BUT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PROPOSALS THAT WILL BE ON THE TABLE TODAY AND WE WILL HAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE ABOUT THAT TOMORROW...THE IDEA OF PRE-POSITIONING CAME OUT OF SOME PROPOSALS...A SUGGESTION THAT WAS PUT LAST YEAR. IT WAS JUST ONE OF THE POSSIBILITIES - BUT IT'S NOT ON THE TABLE TODAY." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 10th July 1996 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVAEPMHSVW74OIQU2TKFPNVSHDJP
  • Story Text: INTRO: The United States has denied reports it wants to build a new military base in Australia to deflect Japanese resentment over a major U.S. Navy base in Okinawa.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Defence Secretary William Perry said on Tuesday (June 25) the United States is not considering putting a base in northern Australia because of Japanese resentment over a major U.S. Navy base in Okinawa.

    "It is not a matter of present consideration," Perry said when asked about reports in Australia that the United States was considering either establishing a base in northern Australia or pre-positioning U.S. troops and weapons there.

    He denied the move was linked to anti-American sentiment in Okinawa inflamed by American soldiers' rape of a 12-year old schoolgirl last year.

    Perry made the comment before a meeting with Australian Defence Secretary Ian McLachlan. He said they would discuss U.S. Marine Commandant Victor Krulak's desire to conduct large joint amphibious exercises on northwest Australia's beaches.

    Asked if that was a way to move U.S. training away from Okinawa, Perry said, " No, we have been training in Australia for some time. This is simply...a proposal forexpanding the training there. There is much more space to conduct large scale amphibious exercises in Australia than there is in any other place that we have access to in the western Pacific." A Marine officer said U.S. and Australian defence officials were discussing amphibious exercises in which as many as 2,000 U.S.

    Marines would participate. He said pre-positioning of U.S. weapons and equipment in Australia is being discussed as part of those talks but it would only be for the amphibious exercises.


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