00:00Well both Australia and PNG are pitching this as more of a procedural issue.
00:07We learned that Papua New Guinea's cabinet has not actually approved this treaty just
00:12yet and the reason that's been given for that is largely logistical.
00:16Now Papua New Guinea has been celebrating its 50th anniversary of independence over
00:20the past few days and a lot of ministers have gone to their home provinces and villages
00:24to have celebrations there with their families and their electorates.
00:29And so it may have been the case that ministers were actually not in Port Moresby when the
00:35cabinet meeting was called on Monday and they weren't able to reach quorum to actually pass
00:43this treaty.
00:45That's the reason that's sort of been given by both Australia and PNG.
00:49Anthony Albanese spoke about this, let's have a listen to what he had to say.
00:52What this is about is the processes of their cabinet that we respect.
00:57It's been a busy week this week.
01:00Monday the cabinet members were in various parts of Papua New Guinea.
01:07That is perfectly understandable but the wording has been agreed to.
01:13The communique today has signed outlines precisely what is in the treaty.
01:18We're releasing that for everyone to see today and this is very positive.
01:24The two Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and James Marape met today.
01:30They held a bilateral meeting and then shortly after that they signed a communique which basically
01:35states that this treaty will be signed once cabinet processes have concluded in both countries.
01:44So they do seem pretty confident that it will go ahead.
01:47I guess what this maybe opens up is some unease that anyone that doesn't want this deal to
01:53go ahead might be able to try and influence things while these processes are playing out.
01:58Now we did ask the Prime Ministers whether there had been any attempt by external parties
02:06to try and undermine this treaty.
02:08James Marape spoke briefly on this.
02:11Let's have a listen to what he had to say.
02:13China has been an enduring friend of PNG for the last 50 years.
02:17We maintain one China policy but China also knows clearly that in as far as security we
02:23have our security partners of choice.
02:25We ask them too even through this press that they do respect PNG government's choice of security partners.
02:32So Defence Minister Billy Joseph, Papua New Guinea's Defence Minister is going to be going
02:38and visiting other nations that Papua New Guinea has strong ties with and sort of explaining
02:44this treaty to them.
02:46That will happen in the coming weeks we've been told.
02:48So certainly the two countries are moving forward as if this deal will go ahead and I guess we
02:54just have to wait and see when that happens and how it plays out in the days to come.
02:58Oh dear
03:08So
03:10you
03:12do
03:14talk
03:17about
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