Main thrust of Aukus is regional security, not nuclear armament, says US ambassador

KUCHING: The trilateral security pact between Australia, United Kingdom and United States is not about nuclear arms but maintaining security in the Indo-Pacific region, says US ambassador to Malaysia Brian McFeeters(pic).

Addressing concerns about the Aukus pact, he said the US government saw it as a way of stabilising and ensuring security for the region.

"Aukus focuses not only on submarines – Australia will receive nuclear propulsion technology for submarines from us but it goes beyond that.

"It's about cooperating on technologies that are increasingly important in the region, such as quantum mechanics, so that countries in the region can cooperate better," he told a virtual press conference in conjunction with his virtual visit to Sarawak on Friday (Oct 1).

McFeeters added that while Australia would receive nuclear-powered submarines but no nuclear arms would be involved.

"It's about maintaining cooperation in security, not about nuclear arms at all," he said.

Malaysia had expressed concerns that Aukus could spark a nuclear arms race in the Indo-Pacific region and provoke aggressive action by other powers in the South China Sea.

Following a phone call with Australian premier Scott Morrison on Sept 17, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said Malaysia upheld the principle of preserving the Asean region as a zone of peace, freedom and neutrality.

He also stressed the importance of respecting and abiding by Malaysia's existing stance on nuclear-powered submarines operating in the country's waters.

On his virtual meetings with state government leaders and agencies this week, McFeeters said there was enthusiasm to maintain ties between the US and Sarawak, including business and academic connections.

"The main outcome is let's work together to renew those relations. We talked with the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre which has a programme on renewable energy using algae and they want to be connected with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado.

"I was impressed to hear the technical programmes by Petros (Petroleum Sarawak Bhd), they have a lot of innovative programmes so we will make connections for them.

"Moving forward, we will continue to work together through student exchanges and putting experts on both sides in touch with each other," he said.