The Hon Stephen Smith MP, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade
Australian Commonwealth Coat of Arms

The Hon Stephen Smith mp

Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

Media release

8 November 2009

Visit to Sri Lanka and APEC in Singapore

I will leave Australia tonight to visit Sri Lanka tomorrow, Monday 9 November.

This will be the first visit to Sri Lanka by an Australian Foreign Minister since 2003. My counterpart, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, visited Australia in October 2008.

Mr Bogollagama and I will discuss bilateral and regional cooperation on people smuggling and ways in which Australia will continue to assist Sri Lanka rebuild after decades of internal conflict.

I will reiterate Australia's view that having won the war, Sri Lanka now needs to win the peace through political reform and reconciliation.

Australia will also urge the Sri Lankan Government to build on recent returns of civilians from displaced peoples camps to the community, by accelerating the resettlement of displaced civilians.

Australia is providing $35 million to Sri Lanka in development assistance this financial year, focusing on humanitarian assistance, support for the resettlement of displaced civilians within Sri Lanka, including through demining activity, post-conflict reconstruction and education.

I will also discuss bilateral issues with other Sri Lankan Ministers while in Colombo.

I will be accompanied on my visit to Sri Lanka by senior officials, including Australia's Special Representative to Sri Lanka, John McCarthy.

I will also visit Singapore from Tuesday 10 November to Thursday 12 November to participate in the 21st APEC Ministerial Meeting. This year is APEC’s 20th anniversary.

APEC advances the prosperity and security of Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. APEC’s 21 member economies are home to more than 2.7 billion people and represent approximately half the world’s GDP and trade.

During the APEC Ministerial Meeting I will pursue a range of Australia’s regional foreign policy priorities, including regional architecture and APEC members’ efforts to promote economic recovery and growth.

I will also take part in the APEC 20th Anniversary High-Level Symposium. The Symposium will be an opportunity to take stock of APEC’s achievements to date and to look to its role in the region’s future.

While in Singapore, I will also undertake bilateral meetings with counterparts from other APEC economies. I look forward to formally meeting with Dr Marty Natalegawa for the first time in his capacity as Indonesia’s new Foreign Minister.