PM boosts Australia’s ties with NATO

AUSTRALIA is boosting its political and military ties with distant NATO.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Thursday signed a joint declaration committing to strengthened relations, even as the war in Afghanistan winds down.

“This is a first for NATO,” Ms Gillard told reporters in Canberra.

“It’s a statement of intent by both parties that we value the partnership between us and we will look for ways to strengthen it.”

Mr Rasmussen said Australia and NATO could collaborate on common global security challenges far beyond Afghanistan.

“It’s true that we live on opposite sides of the world but we are on the same side when it comes to values,” Mr Rasmussen said.

Australia has been the lead non-NATO contributor of troops to the coalition campaign against the Taliban, which is due to wind down by the end of 2014.

The leaders also agreed on continuing joint Australian and NATO military training.

They also discussed the ongoing violence in Syria.

Ms Gillard and Mr Rasmussen are both cool on the idea of international military intervention but want the Syrian regime to abide by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan’s peace plan.

“The time has come for the world to work together on international sanctions to put further pressure on the regime in Syria,” Ms Gillard said.

Asked for his thoughts about Australia’s bid for a temporary seat on the United Nations Security Council, Mr Rasmussen was tight-lipped.

“NATO as an organisation does not comment on or interfere with these election processes,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Rasmussen placed the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Australian War Memorial. - AAP

IMAGES: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard (right) and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen speak to the media during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Thursday, June 14, 2012. NATO and the Australian government earlier today signed a joint agreement on their future relations. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)