Visit to the Netherlands and the United Kingdom

I will visit The Netherlands and the United Kingdom from 28 January to 3 February to launch commemorations marking the 400th anniversary of Dutch contact with Australia and to attend the Conference on Afghanistan. My visit will provide a valuable opportunity to advance Australia's interests in contributing to the security and reconstruction of Afghanistan, as well as supporting international efforts to address Iran's resumption of uranium enrichment and promoting our approach to addressing climate change.

In The Hague I will attend a royal gala dinner on 30 January where I will launch "Netherlands – Australia 1606-2006", a year long celebration of relations between our two countries that was set in train in 1606 when the crew of the Duyfken, a Dutch East India Company ship under Captain Willem Janszoon, landed on Cape York Peninsula. The crew of the Duyfken thus became the first recorded Europeans to set foot on Australian soil.

I will also hold discussions with senior members of the Netherlands' Government about a range of international and regional issues including developments in the European Union and Afghanistan. We will also discuss arrangements for the visit to Australia by the Dutch Prime Minister in April this year.

In London I will attend the Conference on Afghanistan from 31 January to 1 February. The Conference is critical to coordinating international efforts on Afghanistan and will address key security, reconstruction and development issues including counter-narcotics.

While in London I will also meet my counterpart, Jack Straw, for bilateral discussions on important global and regional security issues including the Middle East peace process, Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. I will also hold bilateral talks with the new German Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, on issues including Afghanistan and Iran.

Media Inquiries: Mr Downer's office 02 6277 7500 - Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555