Media Release
4 October 2009
Visit to the United Kingdom, Poland and Sweden
I depart Australia today, Sunday 4 October, to visit the United Kingdom, Poland and Sweden.
This will be my first visit as Foreign Minister to Poland and Sweden and underlines the Government’s strong commitment to enhancing Australia’s relations with Europe and the European Union (EU).
A key focus of my visit will be the Australia-EU Ministerial Troika Consultations on 8 October in Stockholm with my Swedish counterpart, Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, representing the Swedish EU Presidency, and European Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
During these Ministerial Consultations we will launch the first update of the Australia-EU Partnership Framework - a framework I launched with French Foreign Minister Kouchner in Paris last year during the French Presidency of the EU.
In its first year, the Partnership Framework has put Australia-EU relations on a modern framework and delivered important outcomes, including the EC’s foundation membership of the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute, signature of the Australia-EC Wine Agreement, and launch of negotiations on a new air transport agreement between Australia and the EU.
The updated Partnership Framework further extends our cooperation through improved aid coordination, development of clean energy technology and increased cooperation in science and research.
In London on Monday 5 and Tuesday 6 October, I will hold talks with the British Government to further strengthen one of Australia’s strongest and most enduring bilateral relationships.
I will also hold talks with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth in the run up to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, to be held in Trinidad and Tobago in November.
I will visit Warsaw on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 October for discussions with the Foreign Minister of Poland, Mr Radosław Sikorski.
Australia and Poland have strong people-to-people links, with over 160,000 people of Polish ancestry living in Australia. Like Australia, Poland is strongly committed to the long-term stability of Afghanistan. We also cooperate on important global issues such as disarmament, non-proliferation and climate change. This is the first visit by an Australian Foreign Minister to Poland since 2002.
On Wednesday 7 and Thursday 8 October, in addition to the Australia-EU Ministerial Consultations, I will have bilateral discussions with Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, Enterprise and Energy Minister Maud Olofsson, Defence Minister Tolgfors and International Development Cooperation Minister Carlsson.
Australia and Sweden enjoy warm bilateral relations, which are enhanced by our shared commitment to multilateralism and support for the United Nation’s efforts to promote international security and prosperity. This is the first visit to Sweden by a Minister of this Government and the first visit by an Australian Foreign Minister since 2001.
Media inquiries: Mr Smith's office 02 6277 7500 - Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555