Media Release
FA50 - 10 May 2003
Downer to visit Japan, UK, Iraq and its neighbours
I will travel to Japan, the United Kingdom, Iraq and neighbouring countries from 14 to 26 May.
In Okinawa, I will attend the Japan-Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting (PALM), 14-18 May. I will encourage leaders to counter the threat posed to security in the Pacific region by international terrorism, organised crime and weaknesses in governance. I will urge Pacific leaders to uphold principles of good governance and to persevere with economic reform.
I will also meet with Foreign Minister Kawaguchi, Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda and Defence Minister Ishiba to discuss how we can cooperate more closely on key security matters including North Korea, post-conflict rehabilitation efforts in Iraq and regional security. I will encourage support for a comprehensive outcome from trade and economic consultations, which has the potential to provide substantial benefits.
In London, I will attend the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting, 19-20 May. CMAG will consider developments in a number of Commonwealth countries including Zimbabwe, Fiji and the Solomon Islands. I expect discussion to focus on Pakistan, following the restoration of parliamentary government in that country.
I will also hold discussions with senior UK government representatives.
From 21-26 May, I will visit Iraq and a number of neigbouring countries to assess, first-hand, the rehabilitation process in Iraq. I will convey Australia’s strong commitment to the rehabilitation process and to the Iraqi people. I will also lend Australia’s support to the process of establishing an Iraqi Interim Administration. I will meet with community representatives to hear their views on the way forward and will discuss Iraq’s rehabilitation with senior officials from the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA).
I will also visit Iran and Jordan. Visits to a number of other countries are currently being finalised. I will seek views on the rehabilitation process in Iraq, explain Australia’s role in the process and encourage Iraq’s neighbours to play an active and constructive role. While in the region, I will also discuss the Israeli-Palestinian Road Map and signal Australia’s strong support for early implementation of that process.
Media inquiries: Chris Kenny (Ministerial) +61 02 6277 7500 / Lyndall Sachs (Departmental) 02 6261 1555