digitalroulettewheel|Australian PM declines invitation to NATO summit

CANBERRAdigitalroulettewheel, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declined an invitation to the upcoming NATO summit in Washington.

The Australian government on Tuesday said Albanese will not attend the summit in Washington from July 9 to July 11 marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949.

Albanese was invited to the meeting along with the leaders of Japan, South Korea and New Zealand, but the government said on Tuesday that Richard Marles, the deputy PM and Minister for Defence, will represent Australia at the summit.

A spokesperson for Marles said in a statement that he would advance Australia's security, economic and trade agenda at the summit.

Nine Entertainment newspapers reported that Albanese rejected the invitation in order to focus on domestic policies.■