Australian Foreign Minister welcomes progress on Commonwealth Games venues
Media release
3 March 2010
Today in New Delhi, I inspected the preparations for the 2010 Commonwealth Games at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium which will serve as the main stadium in October.
This is the third Commonwealth games facility I have inspected. On previous visits, I inspected the stadium to be used for the Hockey World Cup and also the swimming facility.
I indicated that I was impressed with the preparations being undertaken across New Delhi. I was pleased to be advised today that the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will be ready for the Commonwealth Games.
As the host of the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 and the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006, Australia is familiar with the years of preparation that goes into hosting such events.
I later met Jairam Ramesh, India's Minister of Environment and Forests. We discussed our common concerns about climate change and the opportunities for Australia and India to work together, including with respect to renewable energy, carbon capture and storage, clean coal technology, environmental science and forestry management.
I also met Anand Sharma, India's Minister of Commerce and Industry. We discussed the growing bilateral trade and investment relationship including progress towards completion of the Australia-India Joint Free Trade Agreement feasibility study and plans for the Joint Ministerial Commission to be held in the near future.
In the evening, I visited Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium to watch Australia and India play their Hockey World Cup match. I was joined at the match by India's Minister for Human Resource Development, Kapil Sibal.
As well as playing for World Cup points, the teams played for the inaugural Ajit Pal - Charlesworth Trophy, named after two of the hockey greats of India and Australia, Ajit Pal Singh and Ric Charlesworth.
The Australian and Indian teams designated the game as a Friendship Match. This was a fitting way to mark the strong bonds that link our two countries.
The crowd was entertained by a half-time performance by William Barton, one of Australia's leading didgeridoo players who is currently touring India with the assistance of the Australia-India Council.
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