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CANBERRA, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) — Former Australian Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer has accused the United States of “diplomatic insults” against Australia.
Fisher, who served as deputy prime minister under Australia’s longest-serving prime minister, John Howard, from 1996 to 1999, said on Wednesday the US government’s 18-month failure to appoint an ambassador to Canberra showed Australia was now a “low priority”.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Australia John Berry resigned in September 2016, and the ambassador’s position has been vacant.
“It’s almost a diplomatic insult. Even though we’ve been performing well, we’ve been downgraded. Our priority is low,” Fischer told Fairfax Media on Wednesday.
Fisher cited U.S. President Donald Trump’s opposition to the refugee deal negotiated between his predecessor, Barack Obama, and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as a possible reason for the current administration’s failure to appoint an ambassador.
There has long been speculation that Gen. Harry Harris, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, could be the next ambassador, but there has been no confirmation from the White House.
Simon Jackman, director of the Center for American Studies at the University of Sydney, disagreed with Fisher, saying the delay showed the Trump administration was taking the appointment “extremely seriously”.
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