Malaysian Prime Minister fears AUKUS security pact could trigger nuclear race

The tripartite security partnership among Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States (AUKUS), under which Canberra plans to create a nuclear submarine fleet, could trigger a nuclear arms race in the Indo-Pacific region, Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.

"AUKUS could potentially be a catalyst towards a nuclear arms race in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as provoke other powers to act more aggressively, especially within the South China Sea region," Ismail Sabri told his Australian counterpart in a telephone conversation on Friday, as quoted by The Star newspaper.

In a conversation during which Scott Morrison notified the Malaysian prime minister of AUKUS' creation, Ismail Sabri stressed that Malaysia adheres to the principles of preserving the Indo-Pacific as a zone of peace, freedom and neutrality, as cited in the report.

On Wednesday, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States announced a defence partnership dubbed AUKUS, which allows Australia to acquire nuclear-propelled submarines from the two partners.

Several countries, including Russia and Indonesia, have expressed their concern over the partnership and called for compliance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. France was angered by the fact that Australia preferred AUKUS to a USD 66 billion contract it signed earlier with Paris to receive 12 conventionally powered submarines. (ANI/Sputnik)

( With inputs from ANI )