Australia-US sign space surveillance pact

Australia and US have signed a pact for increasing space surveillance in the Asia-Pacific region as American defence secretary Robert Gates said Washington was looking at enhanced presence in the Asian region.

Acknowledging that preventive steps were necessary, Gates and his Australian counterpart Stephen Smith said the two countries were working "hand in hand" to expand military cooperation in new domains such as space and cyber-space.

A space situational awareness partnership statement issued after the annual security and military dialogue between the two countries here said that the US and Australia shared a deep concern about the "congested and contested nature of outer space".

Gates said that the US was committed to the security and stability of Asia- Pacific region. "We are looking at an enhanced presence for the United States in Asia, not some kind of cutback," he said.

"We are a Pacific power. We have re-engaged in a major way," the defence secretary said.

Echoing Gates' secretary of state Hillary Clinton reinforced America's commitment to the region. "We've been here, we are here and we will be here," she said.

In Melbourne for the annual security dialogue, Gates said that the two nations would set up a group for developing options for stepping up joint defence cooperation on Australian soil.

But he described as premature reports that US-Australian cooperation would include expanded training and the US making bigger use of Australian bases.

The US secretary of state played down suggestions that this growing US presence in the region and reaffirmation of defence ties was motivated by a rising China.

"The US has consistently said that we welcome the economic success of China, the positive effects that it is having on the Chinese people as China becomes more of a player in regional and global affairs," she said.

Clinton said America expected China to be a "responsible player" and to participate in the international framework that governed the way nations behaved.

On the space pact, the Australian defence minister said his government would introduce legislation in the first sitting week of Parliament next year to ratify the defence-trade cooperation treaty.

"We are of course only the second nation after the United Kingdom in respect of which such a treaty will exist and we welcome that very much," Smith said.