Anzus Treaty

Anzus Treaty , defense agreement signed in 1951 by Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. The name Anzus is derived from the initials of the three signatory nations. As a result of the reestablishment of peace between Japan and the United States in 1951, Australia and New Zealand asked for a treaty making it clear that an attack on any of the three signatory countries would be considered an attack upon all. The pact became effective in 1952. New Zealand's 1985 refusal to allow U.S. nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed ships to enter its ports caused the United States to abrogate its ANZUS responsibilities toward New Zealand in 1986; however, New Zealand has not formally withdrawn from the alliance.

ANZUS An acronym given to a tripartite Pacific security treaty between Australia, New Zealand, and the USA, signed at San Francisco in 1951. Known also as the Pacific Security Treaty, it recognizes that an armed attack in the Pacific Area on any of the Parties would be dangerous to peace and safety, and declares that it would act to meet the common danger, in accordance with its constitutional processes. Following New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy, which included the banning of nuclear-armed ships from its ports, the USA suspended its security obligations to New Zealand in 1986. ANZUS continues to govern security relations between Australia and the USA, and between Australia and New Zealand.

ANZUS Pact (Australia-New Zealand-United States Treaty Organization) Military alliance organized by the US in 1951. ANZUS was set up in response to waning British power, the Korean War (1950–53), and alarm at increasing Soviet influence in the Pacific. The treaty stated that an attack on any one of the three countries would be considered as an attack on them all. It was replaced in 1954 by the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO).

http://www.australianpolitics.com/foreign/anzus