Sydney, Australia:
Washington’s looming tariffs on steel and aluminum are “completely inappropriate”, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanis on Wednesday said after failing to secure the last minute discount.
“This is not a friendly task,” Albanis told reporters, after the White House collapsed, it is expected that Australia will be excluded from 25 percent levy on steel and aluminum.
“It is quite clearly not a positive step in our relationship. It is equally simple.”
The decision to slip to Australia, a close aide of US President Donald Trump, was “completely inappropriate”, Albanis said.
“This is against the sense of permanent friendship of our two countries. Friends need to act in such a way that the fact that our respective population is, the fact that we are friends.”
Despite the shock, Albanis said that Australia would not retaliate.
He said, “Tariff and growing trade stress is a recipe for economic self-loss and slow growth and high inflation.”
Albanis indicated that Australia could be one of the few countries to secure the discount after a phone call with Trump in February.
“The US President agreed that a discount was considering the interests of our two countries,” Albani said at that time.
White house officials told the Australian media overnight that the discount was no longer on the table.
“They considered it, and considered it against it,” spokesman Karolin Levitt told the National Broadcaster ABC.
Australia is a modest global player in Steel Export Markets, but is a major source of iron ore, a major raw component in alloys.
Australian steel manufacturer Blouskop said it appoints about 4,000 employees in the United States.
(Tagstotransite) Anthony Albanis (T) Australian (T) Donald Trump (T) Karolin Levit
