Joint Ministerial Statement
Alexander Downer, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australia and Dr
Hassan Wirajuda, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Republic of Indonesia.
Jakarta and Canberra - 13 December 2002
Indonesia-Australia Host Conference on Combating Money Laundering
and Terrorist Financing
A significant step in the regional fight against money laundering
and terrorism will be taken in Bali on 17-18 December 2002 when Australia
and Indonesia co-host a regional conference on combating money laundering
and terrorist financing. The decision to co-host the conference was
announced by the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Hassan
Wirajuda, and the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Alexander
Downer, on 15 September this year.
The conference will be officially opened by the Australian Minister
for Justice and Customs, Senator Chris Ellison, and Dr Wirajuda and
attended by senior officials from some 30 countries from the Asia-Pacific,
as well as senior officials from key international organisations
and the private sector with expertise in the field, including the
United Nations Counter Terrorism Committee, the World Bank, the IMF,
the Asian Development Bank, the Financial Action Task Force and the
Asia-Pacific Group on Money Laundering.
This conference is aimed at augmenting and contributing to the existing
initiatives undertaken at regional and international level. Both
countries believe that the conference will help countries in the
region strengthen their efforts to prevent and counter money-laundering
and the financing of terrorism, particularly by identifying capacity-building
needs to meet the existing and new efforts.
The co-hosting of this conference highlights the continuing commitment
of Indonesia and Australia to combat terrorist financing and money
laundering in the region. It builds on the Memorandum of Understanding
between Indonesia and Australia on Combating International Terrorism
signed by the two countries in February this year.
Dr Wirajuda stated that although the choice of Bali as the venue
for the conference was made before the tragic events of 12 October,
he believes the location would be a reminder to all participating
countries of their efforts and commitment to continue effectively
fighting terrorism in the region.
Mr Downer expressed his hope that the conference would signify that
all nations in the Asia Pacific Rim were prepared to work together
to try to prevent a repeat of the horrific events in Bali.
Media inquiries: Chris Kenny (Ministerial) +61 02 6277 7500
Local Date:
Sunday, 05-Jul-2009 13:14:33 EST
