The Security Treaty between Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America was signed in San Francisco on 1 September 1951, the authentic text in English. Signatories: Percy C. Spender for Australia, C. A. Berendsen for New Zealand; Dean Acheson, John Foster Dulles, Alexander Wiley and John J. Sparkman for the United States. Article IX: ratification under constitutional processes; deposit with the Australian Government; entry into force when all ratifications have been deposited — 29 April 1952. It is not the Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines of the previous day, nor the Treaty of Peace with Japan of 8 September 1951.

The preamble reaffirms the UN Charter, notes the American presence in the Philippines, the Ryukyus and, after the Japanese peace, in the Japan area, and Australia’s and New Zealand’s military obligations in the Commonwealth outside as well as within the Pacific. Article I: peaceful settlement of disputes and refraining from force contrary to the purposes of the United Nations. Article II: separately and jointly maintaining the capacity to resist armed attack — a framework, without a bases itinerary.

Article III: consultations when the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any Party is threatened in the Pacific. Article IV: an armed attack in the Pacific Area on any Party is recognised as a common danger; the response follows constitutional processes and is reported to the Security Council. Article V defines, at a high level, an attack: metropolitan territory, island territories under jurisdiction in the Pacific, armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific.

Article VI reserves the UN Charter. Article VII establishes a Council of the Foreign Ministers or their Deputies, able to meet at any time. Article VIII: the Council may maintain consultative relations with other authorities in the Pacific, pending a more comprehensive regional system. Article X: indefinite duration; leaving the Council on one year’s notice to Australia. Article XI: Australia is depositary and sends certified copies to the others.

The United States ratified on 15 April 1952, after the Senate’s advice and consent. Australia registered the treaty with the United Nations on 22 May 1952 (UNTS 1736, vol. 131; ATS 1952 No. 2; TIAS 2493). The official text consulted is that on Avalon/ATS, not the register’s milestones page. Since 1986, US obligations toward New Zealand have been suspended; the Australia–United States alliance remains in force.

Cover: the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, venue of the peace conference that same September; we do not claim the hall. Wikimedia Commons, free licence.

Sources consulted: ANZUS; Security Treaty Between the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.