Liz Truss and Joe Biden on PM’s funeral diplomacy list

Anthony Albanese will have his first bilateral meeting with new British PM Liz Truss ahead of the Queen’s state ­funeral.

Anthony Albanese. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Anthony Albanese will have his first bilateral meeting with new British Prime Minister Liz Truss ahead of the Queen’s state ­funeral, and hopes to have talks with President Joe Biden during his trip to London to pay Australia’s respects to the late monarch.

With the first anniversary of the AUKUS alliance passing on Friday, there is also the prospect of a three-way meeting of the pact’s national leaders on the sidelines of the Queen’s farewell to ­inject fresh urgency into the partnership.

The Prime Minister is expected to have talks with a number of Pacific leaders en route to London on Thursday, after Australia’s offer to transport those with Commonwealth links to the UK on his official jet or separate RAAF flights.

The funeral diplomacy will continue a week later in Tokyo, where Mr Albanese is scheduled to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to attend the funeral of former Japanese leader Shinzo Abe.

He will also have the opportunity for an extended bilateral meeting with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape, who will fly to Japan with him on his RAAF jet.

The final list of Pacific leaders who have taken up Mr Albanese’s offer of a ride to London was not yet available. But he said a smaller RAAF aircraft had already been dispatched to pick up an unnamed Pacific Island leader “from one of the very small island nations” to return to Australia for the flight to London.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, whose relationship with Australia has been strained since his controversial security pact with China, will not travel to the UK, sending the country’s Governor-General, Sir David Vunagi, in his place. But Mr Sogavare is scheduled to come to Australia on an official visit next month as Mr Albanese’s guest.

Mr Albanese hosted the high commissioners of 24 Commonwealth nations at The Lodge on Tuesday morning, including those from Pacific, African and Asian nations, and the UK’s top diplomat in Australia, Vicki Treadell.

Mr Albanese said he and Prime Minister Truss had tentatively agreed to hold a bilateral meeting on Sunday, the day before the Queen’s funeral.

“Obviously, this is a moving feast with our diaries and getting all of the detail right,” he said.

“My priority has been getting these details in place.”

Mr Albanese said he would “always be available for a meeting with President Biden”, but it was likely his diary would also be jam-packed.

He said “another leader of an important ally” had also reached out seeking a breakfast meeting during the trip, but declined to provide further details.

“We are staying at the same hotel and that will happen. When that is finalised I will confirm it,” Mr Albanese said.

As previously announced, the Prime Minister will meet with King Charles – Australia’s new head of state – during the trip.

The flurry of high-level meetings comes ahead of the G20 summit in Bali in mid-November, followed by the APEC leaders meeting in Thailand. Mr Albanese will have the opportunity for bilateral talks with key international counterparts at both major summits.

French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Australia following the summit, as part of the bilateral reset in relations following the cancellation of the French-designed Attack-class submarines.

Mr Albanese will not attend the UN General Assembly’s “High Level Week” in New York from September 19-26. Foreign Minister Penny Wong will represent Australia.