Trilateral statement on the signing of an agreement for
co-operation on naval nuclear propulsion.
On 5 August 2024, AUKUS partners signed the trilateral Agreement
Among the Government of Australia, the Government of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Government
of the United States of America for Cooperation Related to Naval
Nuclear Propulsion (the “Agreement”).
In March 2023, the AUKUS Leaders announced an ambitious plan to
support Australia's acquisition of a conventionally armed,
nuclear-powered submarine capability at the earliest possible
date, while ensuring Australia's capacity to safely operate,
maintain, and regulate this technology. The Agreement will enable
AUKUS partners to continue to share submarine naval nuclear
propulsion information between the partners, and allow the United
Kingdom and the United States to transfer material and equipment
to Australia required for the safe and secure construction,
operation and sustainment of conventionally armed,
nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS partnership.
Since the announcement of this endeavour, the AUKUS partners have
been resolute that this initiative will be undertaken in a way
that sets the highest non-proliferation standard, while
protecting classified and controlled information, material, and
equipment. To this end, the Agreement re-affirms, and is
consistent with, AUKUS partners' respective existing
international non-proliferation obligations. As a
non-nuclear-weapon State Party to the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Australia has re-affirmed
unequivocally that it does not have and will not seek to acquire
nuclear weapons.
The Agreement is a significant milestone and a demonstration of
the AUKUS partners' commitment to delivering this critical
capability.
