Australia expressed strong support today for the United States' proposed anti-missile shield, but said other arms control issues like a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty also needed to be on the agenda.
Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer said he believed the US missile defence system would go ahead with broad international support, despite misgivings expressed by a range of nations, including Russia, China, Germany and France.
"It will proceed", he told reporters after meeting with US Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly in Adelaide.
"The more people understand what is being talked about here, the more they think it makes sense", Mr Downer said.
Mr Downer said Australia's support for missile defence was not at all contingent on US support for other arms control efforts.
But he said the launch of global talks on the issue by the US had provided an opportunity to urge Washington to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and to seek progress on controls over fissile material and biological weapons.
The U.S. has not tested nuclear weapons since 1992 but its Senate has refused to ratify the test ban treaty. Australia also wants the US to take more of a leadership role on moves to halt global production in nuclear-bomb making fissile material, such as plutonium and highly-enriched uranium.