Australia and the United States commemorated the 70th anniversary of the ANZUS defense agreement. Analysts said that while the security treaty between Australia, New Zealand and the United States offered some advantages, it had also drawn Australia into protracted conflicts.

The ANZUS Treaty was signed on September 1, 1951 and was designed to ensure security in the Pacific region.

Australian Defense Force Chief General Angus Campbell said in a statement on Wednesday that the deal was “built on the foundation of unwavering support for liberal democracy and a shared respect for the rule of law. “.

In a video message to mark the agreement’s 70th anniversary, US President Joe Biden praised its longevity.

“Over the years, Australians and Americans have built an unparalleled partnership and easy friendship, based on shared values ​​and vision,” he said.

Biden’s point of view was shared by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who spoke to the Federal Parliament on Wednesday.

“Together we share the hope, we share the burden and we share the vision,” said Morrison.

Australia has followed the United States in successive conflicts, and analysts have said the intention of the Morrison government is to strengthen the treaty, believing it underpins Australia’s national security.

There are tensions in the long-standing alliance, however. Analysts said Morrison and Biden have not spoken to each other for months and that Australia has not been consulted on the US exit from Afghanistan, despite its unwavering involvement in the 20-year conflict.

Donald Rothwell, an expert in international law at the Australian National University, said the ANZUS treaty had drawn Australia into many damaging conflicts.

“The greatest tension has been primarily with Australia constantly thinking that it must support the United States in various military adventures that the United States has undertaken, and this has not been better highlighted than the events of recent years. weeks as far as the United States is concerned. withdraw from Afghanistan after 20 years, “he said.” And, of course, before that, the ANZUS treaty was brought up in terms of Australian support for military operations Americans in other parts of the world, including Vietnam in the 1960s. “

While Washington is the dominant alliance partner, Rothwell said Australia has proven to be a staunch ally.

“Australia being able to associate with the United States [to] giving credibility to the multinational missions that the United States has tried to lead, rather than limiting itself to the United States entering unilaterally, has been a significant advantage for the United States in terms of its ability to build the credibility of the United States. type of military operations they carried out, ”he said.

A small ceremony was held at the Australian-American Memorial in Canberra on September 1 to mark the anniversary of the treaty.

While Australia and the United States commemorated the deal, New Zealand no longer maintains bilateral security relations with Washington. In September 1986, the United States suspended its ANZUS treaty obligations to New Zealand after Wellington launched a nuclear-free zone in its territorial waters.

New Zealand and the United States, however, are cooperating as part of the Five Eyes Security Alliance, which also includes Britain, Canada and Australia.