Deutsche Welle (English edition)
Australia to boost defense with local missile production
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a large investment plan to ensure Australia's self-reliance for its defense capabilities.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed a plan on Wednesday to manufacture guided missiles within Australia.
Morrison announced a fasttracked initiative to set up a $1 billion Australian dollar ($760 million; €650 million) sovereign guided weapons enterprise.
He said the government would partner with a global arms manufacturer and collaborate closely with the US.
He grounded the decision in the need to strengthen Australia's defense capabilities.
"Creating our own sovereign capability on Australian soil is essential to keep Australians safe,'' Morrison said.
Australia seeks iance'
The prime minister said that the coronavirus pandemic had revealed just how important it is 'self- rel
for Australia to be self-reliant.
"As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, having the ability for self-reliance, be it vaccine development or the defense of Australia, is vital to meeting our own requirements in a changing global environment," he said.
Homegrown missile manufacture is just one part of a drive to revamp Australia's defense and its local defense industry with huge investments spread over 10 years.
Morrison said locally sourced missiles were necessary due to
the possibility of global supply chain disruptions.
He added that the plan would create thousands of jobs and may also boost Australian exports.
Defense minister hopes to support Australia's allies
Australia will work closely with the US to increase its defense capabilities. Both countries are part of the "Five Eyes" intelligence-sharing alliance along with Canada, the UK and New Zealand.
"We will work closely with the United States on this important initiative to ensure that we understand how our enterprise can best support both Australia's needs and the growing needs of our most important military partner," Defense Minister Peter Dutton said.
The enterprise could end up being worth up to AU$40 billion in local production and export, according to Dutton.
The government was looking to work together with a global arms manufacturer for the project.
Australian broadcaster ABC reported that Raytheon Australia, Lockheed Martin Australia, Konsberg and BAE Systems Australia were in the running.
ab/nm (dpa, AP)
demand, should rization.
The EU is in need of more vaccination doses to boost its faltering vaccination drive. Merkel has previously expressed willingness to accept the Russian vaccine if it gets the go-ahead from the EMA.
European production of the vaccine is already planned to begin in Italy in July. The Russian pharmaceutical firm R-Pharm is also planning to produce the jab in the Bavarian town Illertissen from the summer.
It is not yet clear if or when the EMA will grant authorization to Sputnik V.
"This evaluation is taking place according to the same norms that apply to all other vaccines," Merkel's spokesman it get autho
Steffen Seibert told the German news agency dpa.
What else did the three leaders discuss?
The trio also discussed security issues in Ukraine, Libya and
Syria. The three leaders gave their unanimous support to the Iranian nuclear deal.
Ukraine has been a diplomatic sticking point since Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014 and backed separatist forces against the government in the east of the country.
The jailing of Navalny, who spent several months recovering from poisoning in Berlin, has been another contentious issue.
Putin answered the questions posed by Merkel and Macron about the anti-Kremlin activist. The Russian president also expressed his readiness to "restore normal unpoliticized interaction with the EU if it shows interest in that," the Kremlin said.
ab/nm (AP, dpa)