SYDNEY—Australia, the United States and Japan have discussed ways to engage India more closely as the leaders of the three nations met ahead of the start of today's formal APEC leaders' meeting.
John Howard, George W Bush and Shinzo Abe focused on India as they held an informal breakfast meeting for the inaugural leadership-level trilateral strategic dialogue between the three allies.
They were joined by senior ministers, including Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and US Trade Representative Susan Schwab.
Australia had assured China that the high-level meeting was not aimed at trying to contain its growing might but Beijing is likely to be equally displeased by reports the meeting concentrated on how to promote engagement with India, its growing rival in the region.
Mr Downer described India as an increasingly important world power and said the three nations had discussed ways to strengthen ties.
"There was a lot of discussion about India, a lot of optimism about India, the importance of strengthening our relations with India," he told reporters.
"There's a recognition now that India is a coming great power. It's the world's largest democracy, its economy is growing at a rapid rate ... and it's a country that we're all feeling increasingly comfortable working with.
"It was an opportunity to talk about a range of different issues but certainly to focus on India and the importance of that country to us in the Asia-Pacific region and broader geopolitics of the Asia-Pacific region."
But Mr Downer said expanding the strategic dialogue to include India was not on the table for the moment.
"Nothing like that is going to happen anytime soon, we are looking more in a general sense at progressing the relationship," he said.
And the foreign minister again predicted leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit were unlikely to expand their club to take in India or any other countries by lifting a leadership moratorium.
"One of the reasons for that is I think there are 11 applicants for APEC membership, India is one .... it's quite a long list and I think there is a consensus that if you were to bring one in, you'd have to bring others to balance it up," Mr Downer said.
Aside from important regional issues, Mr Howard had a chat with Mr Abe about the impending Wallabies' clash with Japan in the Rugby World Cup in France tonight.
He showed his Japanese counterpart, whom he met during a bilateral visit to Tokyo in March, Sydney landmarks from the prime vista of the 31st floor of Sydney's InterContinental Hotel.
Despite swirling speculation about his leadership, a relaxed Mr Howard chatted at length to the media and his advisers about Argentina's win against World Cup host France overnight.
Upon Mr Bush's arrival, Mr Howard brightly greeted him with "Good morning George, sleep well?".
The US president's response about his sleep was inaudible.
The table of nine breakfasted on Danish pastries, fresh fruit salad of berries and melon and there was a special taste treat for the overseas guests - individual jars of vegemite.
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