Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs Andrew J. Shapiro Travels to Australia

Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Andrew J. Shapiro will travel to Australia July 19-21, 2011, for consultations with senior civilian and military officials to build on political-military initiatives aimed at meeting shared security challenges.

In Canberra, Assistant Secretary Shapiro will meet with Heather Smith, Deputy Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and will attend a roundtable with senior Australian military strategists, including; Peter Jennings, Deputy Secretary of Defence (Strategy), Australia Department of Defence, to discuss defense trade, arms control, and related political-military issues.

The United States and Australia are key allies with a history of shared political-military interests and a future of increased cooperation on trade, technology, and transnational issues. From coalition operations in Afghanistan to humanitarian response, from counter-piracy to peacekeeping, the United States seeks to build on our shared commitment to fostering global peace and security.