Biden to host leaders

WASHINGTON/SYDNEY (Reuters) - US President Joe Biden will host leaders of Australia and Britain in San Diego next week to chart a way forward for provision of nuclear-powered submarines and other hightech weaponry to Australia, sources familiar with the plans said.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said before leaving on a visit to India on Wednesday he would visit the United States to meet Mr Biden, but would not be drawn on plans for a summit with Mr Biden and British Prime Minster Rishi Sunak to announce a way forward on the so-called AUKUS project.

Sources familiar with the planning said that trilateral summit would take place in San Diego on Monday to unveil new details of the 2021 AUKUS pact conceived as part of efforts to counter China in the Indo-Pacific region.

“I look forward to the continuing engagement that I have with the US administration,” Mr Albanese told reporters before departure for India, without giving a date for his US trip.

Australia’s ambassador to the United States Arthur Sinodinos said last week that details of the submarine deal would be announced in mid-March, but the three governments have declined comment on the specific time and place.

San Diego is home to the US Pacific Fleet and a source familiar with the planning told Reuters the trilateral summit could involve a visit to a submarine.

While the United States and Britain have agreed to provide Australia with the technology to deploy nuclear-powered submarines, the three allies have yet to say exactly how the capability will be transferred to Australia, which does not have a nuclear-propulsion industry.