Regional security to be focus of Obama's visit to Australia

Security and humanitarian relief in the Asia Pacific region will top the agenda when U.S. President Barack Obama visits Australia next week, U.S. Ambassador to Australia Jeffrey Bleich told Australia Network on Tuesday. Obama will make a two-day visit to Canberra and Darwin of Australia on Nov. 16-17, where he will address parliament and hold security talks with the Australian government. Bleich said the president is very excited and has long been looking forward to getting back to Australia, which he first visited as a child. While there were speculation he and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard will announce an expanded U.S. military presence in Australia, Bleich said that the Asia Pacific region is facing a critical period, and it was important that the U.S. had the "right assets" stationed in the Asia-Pacific region. "You've got two billion people being added to the planet over the next 40 years and most of them are going to be in the Asia Pacific," he noted. "That's going to put a lot of strain on food, on water, on energy. "It means that there are going to be real stresses and you need to make sure you've got resources there to make sure you can address any humanitarian disasters," he said. Bleich also said whatever resources U.S. is placing in Australia will be used for humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and to discourage conflict. The U.S. president's visit to Australia will mark the 60th anniversary of the military alliance between Australia and the United States. This will be Obama's first visit since he became U. S. president.