Washington DC [US], September 17: US President Donald Trump says he will meet Prime Minister Anthony Albanese face-to-face very soon, after a blow-up with an Australian reporter.
Trump did not mention when or where he would meet Mr Albanese.
Trump's comments came after he objected to questions being asked by ABC reporter John Lyons about whether it was appropriate for a US president to be "engaged in so much business activity" while in office.
Federal government MPs from across the political divide defended the ABC, saying journalists have the right to ask difficult questions.
Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie agreed, adding that it was "the scoop of the year for the ABC" because it was able to confirm that a meeting was forthcoming.
Asked if she could confirm the meeting, Ms O'Neil said "it's certainly what's been intended and we've got two incredibly busy people here".
The prime minister is preparing to travel to New York in the coming days for the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, where a face-to-face with Mr Trump on the sidelines is a possibility.
Trump praised Mr Albanese as a "good man" after the two leaders held their fourth one-on-one phone call earlier in September.
The prime minister described his call with Mr Trump as "really warm".
A face-to-face meeting between the two leaders had been planned on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada in June but was cancelled after Mr Trump returned to the US early to deal with the Iran-Israel conflict.
The UN's "high-level week" starts in New York on September 22.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation
