Sydney – Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (pic) and US President Donald Trump will meet in New York on Thursday for their first face-to-face encounter following a testy long distance start to their relationship.
Trump and Turnbull are set to attend an event to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the victory over Japan by US and Australian forces in World War II’s Battle of the Coral Sea.
The two leaders will also hold a bilateral meeting, with issues surrounding North Korea and China expected to dominate the talks.
Their first official conversation over the phone in February went south after Trump blasted Turnbull over the terms of a refugee swap deal.
Before leaving office president Barack Obama’s administration agreed to take more than a thousand refugees languishing in Australian immigration detention centres in the Pacific islands.
Trump reportedly hung up on Turnbull and later tweeted that it was “a dumb deal.” But the Trump administration said later that it would honour the agreement.
Last month US Vice President Mike Pence visited Australia on a two-day visit for the final leg of his four-nation Asia-Pacific tour, and offered assurance that all was well between the two long-time allies.
“They don’t have to be best friends, but of course they will be gracious towards each other,” Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told ABC radio in Sydney on Thursday.
“I have no doubt that the prime minister and President Trump will find a lot in common, I’m sure they’ll get along well.”
Turnbull is said to be bringing a jarrah timber box handmade outside Canberra to hold a dozen golf balls for the president, according to local media.
This will also be the first time Trump is returning to his home city New York since taking office in January.
Turnbull returns to Australia on Saturday.
– dpa
