Sydney: U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Thursday during a visit to Papua New Guinea that Washington was not seeking a permanent base in the country.
“I just want to be clear, we are not seeking a permanent base in PNG,” Austin told a news conference in Papua New Guinea capital Port Moresby.
“This is a fundamental, foundational framework to deepen that defence relationship.”
A defence agreement signed in May will allow U.S. forces to refurbish and develop infrastructure for military and civilian use at Papua New Guinea (PNG) seaports and airports.
(Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Tom Hogue)
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