MOSCOW, 25 Sep-RIA Novosti. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison tried to justify AUKUS ' new partnership with the United States and the United Kingdom by making a video address to the UN General Assembly.
"AUKUS was created to promote peace, stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region for the benefit of all who live in this region," Morrison said.
Ten days ago, Australia agreed with the United Kingdom and the United States on a new partnership in the field of defense and security AUKUS and announced its withdrawal from the "contract of the century" for the construction of 12 Barracuda-class attack submarines with the French company Naval Group for 56 billion euros. France took this as a betrayal.
Now Australia will build nuclear submarines using the technologies of its English-speaking allies, criticizing China's military activity and influence in the region.
Morrison also noted Australia's contribution to the supply of 3 million COVID-19 vaccines to countries in the Asia-Pacific region. "We have also made a contribution of 130 million doses as part of our obligations to the COVAX market, including 51 million doses to Southeast Asia," the prime minister said.
According to him, $ 620 million was allocated for the purchase of millions of doses of vaccines, training of medical workers in neighboring countries.
As Morrison said, this includes a $ 100 million contribution as part of Quad's partnership with the US, India and Japan to produce a billion doses of the vaccine by 2022.
Australia, Morrison said, is also directing efforts to develop new technologies. "Therefore, we are investing 20 billion to commercialize new technologies, such as clean hydrogen," green" steel (from scrap metal), long - term energy conservation, reducing carbon levels - vital for the global goal of achieving zero emissions, " Morrison stressed.