ISTANA NURUL IMAN, Wednesday, 21 October 2020 – His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, today received in audience Senator the Honourable Linda Reynolds, Minister for Defence Australia at Istana Nurul Iman.
Accompanying Minister for Defence Australia were Her Excellency Tiffany McDonald, Australian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam; Mr Peter Tesch, Deputy Secretary Strategic Policy and Intelligence; and Ms Mikaela James, Senior Adviser to the Minister for Defence Australia.
Also present were Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Retired) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Second Minister of Defence; Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Erywan bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Haji Mohd Yusof, Second Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Major General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sahat, Commander of Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF).
Brunei Darussalam and Australia enjoy close and longstanding defence relation which were strengthened through the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) relating to the participation of RBAF in military training programmes and exercises in Australia (1985); and relating to the Broader Cooperation in Defence Activities (1999).
The Bilateral Defence Relationship is also underpinned by extensive defence and military interactions such as exchange of visits, port visits, trainings and courses; and in cooperation with one another at a multilateral level through the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus).
KEBAWAH DYMM PADUKA SERI BAGINDA SULTAN DAN YANG DI-PERTUAN NEGARA BRUNEI DARUSSALAM BERKENAN MENERIMA MENGADAP SENATOR THE HONOURABLE MENTERI PERTAHANAN AUSTRALIA
ISTANA NURUL IMAN, Rabu, 21 Oktober 2020 – Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam, hari ini berkenan menerima mengadap Senator the Honourable Linda Reynolds, Menteri Pertahanan Australia di Istana Nurul Iman.
Menyertai bersama Menteri Pertahanan Australia ialah Puan Yang Terutama Tiffany McDonald, Pesuruhjaya Tinggi Australia ke Negara Brunei Darussalam; Tuan Peter Tesch, Timbalan Setiausaha Dasar Strategik dan Perisikan; dan Puan Mikaela James, Penasihat Kanan kepada Menteri Pertahanan Australia.
Turut hadir ialah Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Mejar Jeneral (Bersara) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Menteri Pertahanan Kedua; Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Erywan bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Haji Mohd Yusof, Menteri Hal Ehwal Luar Negeri Kedua; dan Mejar Jeneral (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sahat, Pemerintah Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (ABDB).
Negara Brunei Darussalam dan Australia mempunyai hubungan kerjasama pertahanan rapat dan sudah lama terjalin yang diperkukuhkan lagi dengan penandatanganan Memorandum Persefahaman mengenai dengan penyertaan ABDB dalam program latihan ketenteraan dan eksesais di Australia (1985), dan seterusnya mengenai dengan Kerjasama dalam Aktiviti Pertahanan yang Lebih Luas (1999).
Hubungan Pertahanan Dua Hala ini juga merangkumi pelbagai bentuk interaksi termasuk pertukaran lawatan, lawatan muhibah kapal tentera, latihan dan kursus; serta saling bekerjasama di Peringkat Pelbagai Hala di bawah rangka kerja Mesyuarat Menteri-menteri Pertahanan ASEAN Plus (ADMM-Plus).