Blinken says door open for New Zealand to engage on AUKUS

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) poses with New Zealand's Prime Minister Chris Hipkins at Parliament in Wellington on July 27, 2023. MARTY MELVILLE/Pool via REUTERS

SYDNEY (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday the door was open for New Zealand to engage with the AUKUS project as appropriate.

The multi-stage AUKUS project announced in March is planned to culminate in the late 2030s and early 2040s with British and Australian production and operation of a new submarine class - SSN-AUKUS - and include "cutting edge" U.S. technologies.