Feds & Brits Develop Joint Cyber Crime Security Strategy
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The Australian and UK governments have agreed to cooperate on cyber-security, counter-terrorism, intelligence and outer space issues following yesterday’s top-level AUKMIN meeting in Sydney. They have also agreed to explore possible cooperation on defence procurement issues and cooperation on science and technology.

The Australian and UK governments have agreed to cooperate on cyber-security, counter-terrorism, intelligence and outer space issues following yesterday’s top-level AUKMIN meeting in Sydney. They have also agreed to explore possible cooperation on defence procurement issues and cooperation on science and technology.

The meeting, at the HMAS Watson naval base at Sydney’s South Head, was attended by Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and Defence Minister Stephen Smith and their UK counterparts – Foreign Minister William Hague and Defence Minister Liam Fox.

While few details of the cyber-security project were revealed, Hague said after the meeting that the two nations had agreed to a joint “operation” on the matter. He added: ” We’ve shared our analysis of Afghanistan. We’ve discussed international terrorism where we already cooperate closely. And we’ve considered ways to maximise the impact of our counter-terrorist effort.”

Fox said cyber threats have become a challenge to both countries. “We fought in many battles together in the past. Now we face the war of the invisible enemy in cyberspace and we’re committed to dealing with that together,” he said.

Added Stephen Smith “We have had productive discussions about cyberspace and very productive discussions about space and space awareness. And on both fronts we have agreed to work much more closely together.”

Stephen Smith and Liam Fox today are visiting Adelaide where they will hold bilateral discussions on defence science, technology and procurement issues and inspect some defence industry centres.

Rudd and Hague are off to Brisbane for a look at flood recovery operations – Hague has promised the help of a taskforce of UK experts in flood recovery management and flood forecasting methods.

The AUKMIN talks, which have been held only twice before, will in future be held annually.