Media release
21 July 2008
Foreign Minister to Visit Singapore for Asia-Pacific Regional Meetings
I will visit Singapore from 21 to 24 July to attend the 15th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the ASEAN-Australia Post Ministerial Conference, the East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers’ meeting and the 6th South-West Pacific Dialogue.
This will be my first opportunity as Foreign Minister to participate in Foreign Ministerial meetings of the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN-Australia Post Ministerial Conference and the ASEAN Regional Forum and will provide a valuable opportunity to advance Australia’s engagement with the region and our core regional interests.
Comprehensive engagement with the Asia-Pacific region is one of the three pillars of the Australian Government’s foreign policy.
ASEAN, created in 1967 with the objective of promoting regional stability and development, is one of our region’s oldest institutions and Australia has been an active and reliable partner of ASEAN for over 30 years.
The ARF is the region’s principal multilateral security forum. This year’s ARF is expected to assess responses to recent regional natural disasters and efforts to improve response capabilities. It will also review key regional and international issues and the ARF’s work program and activities.
At the ASEAN-Australia Post Ministerial Conference I will review, with my ASEAN colleagues, key developments in the Australia – ASEAN relationship including current and future cooperation with ASEAN in political, security, economic and cultural fields and progress in the negotiation of a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement between Australia, New Zealand and ASEAN and the implementation of the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Partnership.
The East Asia Summit is a major regional forum that makes a significant contribution to East Asian community building. The EAS Foreign Ministers’ consultations provide a timely opportunity to consider the critical issues of food and energy security, financial stability and economic integration as they affect East Asian countries.
The South-West Pacific Dialogue brings together the Foreign Ministers of East Timor, Indonesia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Australia to discuss issues of common interest and relevance to the South-West Pacific including climate change, counter-terrorism, maritime security and responses to HIV/AIDS and avian influenza.
At the margins of these dialogue forums, I will also take the opportunity to conduct a range of bilateral meetings with my counterparts from around the region.
I look forward to confirming with my regional counterparts the Government’s strong commitment to the region, to the existing regional architecture, and to exploring ways to deepen and evolve our engagement even further, including the Australian Government’s proposal for an Asia Pacific Community.
Media inquiries
- Mr Smith's office 02 6277 7500
- Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555