Australia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will explore closer defence ties after a meeting on Sunday between a senior Australian government minister and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan.
Australia's Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne and Sheikh Mohammed, who is also Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, met on the sidelines of the biennial International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi.
The two agreed to consider a 10-year defence plan that could include more than 1 billion Australian dollars ($767 million) in sales to the UAE, Pyne told Reuters.
"What the Crown Prince is talking about is a more mature long-term relationship built around security and procurement," he said.
Australia has military personnel stationed in the UAE, taking part in the United States-led campaign against Islamic State.
A final agreement has yet to be reached but could include a transfer of knowledge from Australian to UAE companies.
"They are looking for genuine partners, not just foreign military sales, and that suits Australia's attitude extremely well," Pyne said.
Sales could include everything from ammunition to large items such as "high-speed support vessels", he said.
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