Obama to visit Australia to mark 60th anniversary of alliance

U.S. President Barack Obama will visit Australia in November to mark the 60th anniversary of a security treaty that have bonded the two countries and New Zealand to cooperate on defense matters, the White House said on Monday. The treaty, known as ANZUS, was signed in 1951 by Australia, New Zealand and the United States. The White House said the treaty plays "a critical role in the security of the entire Asia-Pacific region." The Nov. 16-17 visit, which comes at the invitation of Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, will immediately follow an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit hosted by Obama in Hawaii and "will provide the two leaders an opportunity to build on the APEC agenda and expand bilateral cooperation to increase global economic growth, trade and jobs," the White House said in a statement. It said that Obama also looks forward to consulting closely with Gillard on global and regional issues in preparation for the East Asia Summit to be held later that week in Bali, Indonesia. The United States and Russia will attend the East Asia Summit for the first time. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will meet their counterparts from Australia this week in San Francisco for security talks, the Pentagon said on Monday. Gillard met with Obama in his Oval Office in March.