|
Visit to the UK, Switzerland, France, Portugal
and Belgium
I will travel to the United Kingdom, Switzerland
for the World Economic Forum, France, Portugal and Belgium from
25 January to 6 February 2000. The visit will enable me to
focus attention on Australia's strong regional credentials and
attractiveness as a dialogue partner and regional economic base.
In London on 26-27 January, meetings will
be held with Foreign Minister Robin Cook and the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office Minister of State, John Battle, to discuss
European developments, Australia's increasingly important role
in the Asia-Pacific region, Commonwealth matters and international
trade issues post-Seattle.
From 27-30 January, I will be in Davos, Switzerland,
for the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum where Global
Governance will be high on the agenda. I will also have bilateral
meetings with foreign and economic ministers and international
financial leaders and encourage attendance at the East Asia-Pacific
Economic Summit to be held in Melbourne on 11-13 September 2000.
My visit to France from 30 January to 1 February
will be my first since 1996 when I launched a process to rebuild
relations following the end of French nuclear testing and France's
signature of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. While the relationship
has improved significantly since then, potential for further
growth remains, particularly in the trade and investment areas.
In meetings with Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine and other Ministers,
I will discuss bilateral cooperative activities and foreign,
security policy and international economic issues. I will also
address the French Institute for International Relations on international
financial reform.
In Portugal from 1-2 February, discussions
will be held with Foreign Minister Jaime Gama in his capacity
as representative of the Presidency of the European Union (EU).
These discussions will be particularly relevant given the significant
decisions affecting the EU at the Helsinki Summit in December
1999, including on EU institutional reform and enlargement and
the Common European Security and Defence Policy. During my visit
I will meet with Prime Minister Oliveira Guterres and President
Jorge Sampaio. I will also hold bilateral discussions with Foreign
Minister Gama and other Ministers on developments in East Timor.
In Brussels on 2-3 February, I will meet with
key members of the new European Commission including External
Relations Commissioner Chris Patten, Commissioner for Trade
Pascal Lamy and Commissioner for Education and Culture Viviane
Reding. I will also meet with Javier Solana in his new capacity
as High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy
and the Chair and members of the European Parliamentary Committee
on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence
Policy. High on the agenda at this meeting will be developments
in European security and defence policy in the wake of the Kosovo
war and decisions taken on EU enlargement at the Helsinki Summit.
I will also meet the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
for Foreign Affairs, Louis Michel, to discuss a range of multilateral,
regional and bilateral matters.
|
