AUSTRALIA’S Ambassador to the US Kim Beazley has revealed that the Obama administration was “intrigued” by Tony Abbott’s accomplishments in Asia and would now be looking to him to become their man in the region.

As the Prime Minister prepares to meet the US President this week on his first official visit to the US, The Daily Telegraph learned that Mr Abbott will re-appoint Mr Beazley, the former Labor leader, to a further extended term as Australia’s top diplomat in the US.

In an exclusive interview at his official residence in Washington, Mr Beazley told The Daily Telegraph yesterday that US officials had marvelled at Mr Abbott’s diplomatic coups on his recent north Asian visit.

media_camera Open for business... Tony Abbott opens trading today at the New York Stock Exchange. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“He has them somewhat intrigued,” Mr Beazley said in a rare interview on his assessment of the US/Australia relationship.

“They do say we are critical to their pivot, or their rebalancing, as they expand their interest into south-east Asia.

“They don’t comprehend how we operate in the region.

“They know we have a lot of influence in the region….they know we have ideas about it.

“And they are very interested in the Prime Minister’s visits to Asia…and what he has arranged in the region.

“They are intrigued by his relationship with the Japanese Prime Minister and the fact Australia is looking to do more and more with Japan and how he managed to balance that out with quite a reasonable dialogue with China.

“They think that was a little risk taking by the Australian Prime Minister….and he seemed to pull it off, so in their minds that is a plus.

“And then of course as the Americans have more interest with south-east Asia…the most interested of the American politicians in this area is Obama himself.”

EXCLUSIVE: Beazley reveals why Australia’s alliance with US is ‘critical’

media_camera Tribute... Mr Abbott vists the September 11 memorial in New York. Photo: Josh Wilson / Office of The Prime Minister.

media_camera Uniting issues... Mr Abbott meets with UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon. Photo: Josh Wilson / Office of The Prime Minister.

media_camera Down to business... The PM rings the bell on Wall Street today.

media_camera Trading places... Mr Abbott speaks with a trader at the New York Stock Exchange. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“When he sees Tony Abbott the President will have a lot on his mind, for example about south-east Asia, and he has a bloke here in Abbott who knows something about it and operates within it on a daily basis.”

“Now when they look at Tony Abbott what do they see?

“They see a bloke who has done pretty well in Asia in the last little while.”

“This gives him some dimension as he goes into the meeting.”

The Daily Telegraph can confirm that Mr Beazley, who was first appointed in 2010 by the Rudd Government as Australia’s Ambassador to the US, will have his term extended a second time by Mr Abbott to keep him in the job until the lead up to the 2016 US Presidential elections.

media_camera Hitting the ground running... The Pm takes an early morning jog through Central Park with members of the NY fire department. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

media_camera Home run... Mr Abbott jogging with members of the NY fire department. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Senior Government sources confirmed that a second extension to Mr Beazley’s term would be announced this week but denied it was a political move to soften recent appointments of former Coalition Ministers Nick Minchin and Alexander Downer to plum posts in New York and London.

Mr Abbott had announced last year after taking office that he would extend Mr Beazley’s initial three year appointment, securing him in the post until the end of this year. This will now be extended by a further 12 months at least.

“It is an appointment based purely on merit. The PM has a very high regard for Mr Beazley,” a senior Government source said.

media_camera Touchdown... Prime Minister Tony Abbott arrives in New York last night with Kim Beazley. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

media_camera When they previously met ... Tony Abbott greeted US President Barack Obama at Parliament House in Canberra in 2011. Picture: Alan Porritt

Mr Beazley dismissed suggestions that President Obama, who Mr Abbott once described as leading one of the most left wing US administrations in 50 years, would offer a cool reception for the Australian PM.

“The approach of Obama on international relations is that he is not looking for personal friends…he is looking for people to address what he thinks are crucial issues,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

“And you are valued not because of the warmth of your heart but the product of your mind and the potency of your advice.”

Mr Beazley also played down speculation that the two leaders would clash over climate change and President Obama’s recent announcement of a global action plan to cut greenhouse emissions.

“I would be surprised if climate change weren’t discussed….but I wouldn’t expect it to be a clash,” he said.

media_camera Intriguing to the US ... Prime Minister Tony Abbott arrives in New York. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“There would be different perspectives but you still have a pretty strong Australian position

“I mean the American position is 17 per cent down on 2005

“Our position is 5 per cent down on 2000…

“It’s not 17 versus 5, it’s just not.

“Incorporated within the Australian target is $2.5 billion or thereabouts on climate change related alternative energy projects and the like (direct action).

“You have to multiply that by 15 to get a US equivalent, and 15 times $2.5 billion is around $40 billion and I don’t think the Americans are putting $40 billion into alternative fuels and energy.

“Then you look at taxes on petrol for example.

“When you look at a totality of what is being done...there is quite a bit going for the Australian side of the proposition.

“I would think that while I would expect climate change to be mentioned, I don’t think it will be at the forefront of the President’s mind.”

Mr Beazley also defended Tony Abbott’s timetable while in the US and rejected criticism from his former Labor colleagues that Mr Abbott had dropped meetings with several key economic and finance figures.

“If you look at the Prime Ministers timetable…you would say that for a busy Australian PM his meetings here are a day too long...and for a proper trip to Washington his trip is a day too short…that is the impossible position,” he said.

Mr Beazley said the list of meetings in terms of congressional leaders was one of the most impressive he could recall.

“You see who you can…but in the hierarchy of the things to be done, it starts with the President, the congressional leadership, the secretary of State and secretary of Defence.

“That’s the alliance, foreign policy then you go into the economic issues…how do you do it all in two days??”