PNG and Australia take defence talks to the air

By JACKLYN SIRIAS
THE PNG and Australian Defence Forces are having talks to re-established links between their air sections.
Defence Force chief of force preparation Colonel Siale Diro said the inaugural PNG-Australia air-to-air talks at Murray Barracks began on Monday and was a step to work together to boost air capabilities for PNG.
He said there was already cooperation between land and sea operations but there was not air service deal.
“We are in the process of conducting talks between the PNGDF air element and the Royal Australian Air Force to complete the military relationship with Australia in all environments – land, air and sea,” Diro said.
He said there was always a strong military-to-military relationship between Australia and PNG.
“In 1990, due to circumstances beyond our control, the relationship between our air forces suffered a parting,” Diro said.
“So in the ensuing three decades we have had no relationship and there has been a gap in the air space in the area of air operations between both our militaries.”
Diro said the meeting was to re-engage the Defence Force air element with its Australian counterpart and re-establish and re-vitalise the link between the two countries.