Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, met with the Italian Minister for Defence, Roberta Pinotti in Sydney today to discuss Australia-Italy defence cooperation.
Minister Payne welcomed Minister Pinotti to Australia noting the visit is the first by a sitting Italian Defence Minister.
“Australia and Italy share common views on a number of global security issues, evidenced by our respective contributions to the NATO Resolute Support Mission to Afghanistan and our contributions to the international coalition to counter-Daesh,” Minister Payne said.
The Ministers discussed regional security in the Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East as well as the counter-Daesh campaign following on from last week’s counter-Daesh coalition meeting in Brussels, in which both Ministers participated.
“Defence cooperation between Australia and Italy on issues of mutual concern enables us to respond more effectively to common global and regional security challenges,” Minister Payne said.
Minister Pinotti is in Australia to meet with senior Government Ministers and Defence officials to discuss Italy-Australia defence relations.
Minister Pinotti’s trip coincides with the visit to Australia of the Italian FREMM Class frigate, Carabiniere, with the frigate visiting Fremantle, Port Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne.
Carabiniere will also participate in Exercise Ocean Explorer with the Royal Australian Navy off the coast of Western Australia.
Imagery is available on the Image Gallery.