E&OE

1 February 2008

Interview with ABC Radio Australia Pacific Beat Program

Subject: RAMSI, Nauru

DUNCAN KERR: Well, there were, of course, very wide-ranging discussions with Prime Minister Sikua and Prime Minister Rudd, and certainly we would hope that the security, the sharp end of the security role of the RAMSI team is in fact over. But, I don’t think that either Prime Minister Sikua or anybody would say that every issue in relation to security on the ground is fully resolved.

But, the direction now is to move to strengthen the Solomon Islands’ own capacity for law enforcement, and of course, to broaden out the work of the regional initiative. I am intending to meet the Special Coordinator of the RAMSI when Parliament resumes. I understand he is visiting Canberra, and I certainly will be passing onto him the views of Prime Minister Sikua, although I suspect that he is fully aware of them, and Prime Minister Sikua has set out very plainly the goals of his government, which do involve strengthening things like education and health. So, these are not incompatible objectives.

JOURNALIST: And meanwhile, the President of Nauru wants Australia to agree to a new aid deal in the wake of the closure of the asylum seeker processing centre there. Is that something you will consider?

DUNCAN KERR: Well, I think all I can say is that presently, I’m not certain of the time lines, but I understand a team from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship is visiting or has visited or will shortly visit Nauru. I haven’t had feedback yet from that visit, certainly it is an issue that Nauru has raised and my colleague, Bob McMullan, no doubt is considering any request together with Stephen Smith and everybody involved. The key decision has been made that the facilities that the previous government operated as part of the so called Pacific solution in both Papua New Guinea and Nauru will be closed.

JOURNALIST: But, does it concern you the economic impact that that closure will have on Nauru, which has supported the Pacific solution so strongly?

DUNCAN KERR: Well, certainly our aid to commitment to Nauru stands. Bilateral relationships with Nauru stand, and we want to make certain there is a healthy and strong relationship between our governments. But it is entirely proper that Australia under its new government pursues its commitments. We thought the Pacific solution was wrong, demeaning and not capable of being continued and we have ended it. So that means that that facility will no longer play that role. The arrangements for that are now being pursued. I don’t want to go into details of what will happen in the future. But, of course, we have a mind to consider whatever is put to us responsibly by the Nauruan authorities.

Media inquiries: Mr Kerr's office - 02 6277 4991