US President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that he will postpone the Australia-leg of his trip. Following this, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday said that the Quad leaders meeting in Sydney next week will not go ahead.
In Australia, Biden was scheduled to participate in the third Quad summit with prime ministers Narendra Modi of India, Fumio Kishida of Japan and Anthony Albanese of Australia.
Despite the cancellation of the summit, it was reported that there would be no change in plan for PM Modi visiting Australia.
G7 leaders meeting in Hiroshima
Albanese said Biden had told him that he was "disappointed" as he was unable to visit Australia and that the Quad leaders would instead try to gather on the sidelines of the G7 leaders meeting in Hiroshima.
"All four leaders President Biden, Prime Minister Kishida, Prime Minister Modi and myself will be at the G7, held in Hiroshima on Saturday and Sunday. We are attempting to get together over that period of time [and] I'll have a bilateral discussion with President Biden," he said in a press conference.
Albanese termed the relationship with Japan "very important". He also recalled receiving the "warmest of welcomes by Prime Minister Modi in India in March." A Ministry of External Affairs release earlier said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a three-nation tour during which he will take part in G-7 Summit in Japan and the Quad Leaders' Summit in Australia.
PM Modi to visit Japan before Sydney summit
The Prime Minister will visit Hiroshima in Japan from May 19 to 21 for the G-7 Summit under the Japanese Presidency. He is visiting Japan at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Prime Minister Modi will have bilateral engagements in Papua New Guinea, including meetings with Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae and Prime Minister James Marape.
PM Modi will then visit Sydney from May 22 to 24 to participate in the Quad Leaders' Summit, the external affairs ministry said. From Japan, the Prime Minister will travel to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, where he will host the third Summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC III Summit) jointly with Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea James Marape on May 22.
(With agency inputs)
