E&OE
23 September 2008
Interview – Fox & Friends, New York
BRIAN KILMEADE, co-anchor: Hey, I’m here
with a fascinating guy. New warnings that Iran may still
be hiding its nuclear activity. Excuse the shocker.
Controversial Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is just
hours away from addressing the United Nations right here in New
York, but he says Iran is still cooperating fully.
No one believes that, especially Stephen Smith, Australian
Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Welcome, sir, appreciate you coming down.
STEPHEN SMITH:
Great to meet you.
KILMEADE: I know you want to talk about
Afghanistan because you have 1,000 troops there. But
first off, even Mohamed El Baradei says now we think
they’re making a nuclear weapon. What’s been
the problem? Is anything going to get passed?
SMITH: Well, Australia has been very supportive of
the United Nations Security Council resolutions, putting
maximum pressure on Iran. They have to be held to
account. It’s a matter of great concern.
KILMEADE: But it’s China and Russia who are
not going to go along with this, so therefore this is charades,
correct?
SMITH: No. We’ve got to continue to put
maximum pressure on them. Australia supports the United
Nations sanctions and we encourage other nations to do that, as
well. We’ve got to put maximum diplomatic effort on
Iran.
KILMEADE: Is there any reason to believe the
Russians will, when they’re actually selling them
missiles to protect their so-called nuclear energy
sites?
SMITH: Well, the alternative to not putting
diplomatic pressure is just to let them go or to fall back on
military intervention. We think that would be
wrong.
KILMEADE: What’s the fate of the Israelis if
they get a nuclear weapon, in your estimation?
SMITH: Well, the consequences of Iran getting a
nuclear capacity, both for the region and for the world,
effectively is catastrophic, which is why all of the
international community has got to put maximum effort and
pressure on Iran.
KILMEADE: Yeah, but I know your country is really
focused on Afghanistan, as are we.
SMITH: Yes.
KILMEADE: You have 1,000 soldiers there. Do
you think it’s time for David Petraeus and company to
change tactics?
SMITH: Well, I think we’ve got to make
sure that there is an effective NATO effort in
Afghanistan. We’ve also got to make sure that the
Afghanistan/Pakistan problem, the border area problem, is a
problem addressed by the international community, not just left
to Pakistan and Afghanistan.
I met the Pakistani president last night...
KILMEADE: Really?
SMITH: ...and indicated to him that Australia is
ready, willing and able to render whatever assistance we can in
the terrible challenge they face against terrorism and
extremism. He’s been saying all the right things,
but he needs the support of the international community, as
well.
KILMEADE: Is it possible to bring peace to
Afghanistan without going into Waziristan and getting to the
source of the problem where the terrorists sit?
SMITH: Well, the problem we have is that
what’s called that FATA region, the Afghanistan/Pakistan
border area.
KILMEADE: Right.
SMITH: The terrorists take refuge and respite
across the border in Pakistan, which is why we’ve got to
sit down with Pakistan and stop that from occurring. But
also, with the terrible Marriott bombing, Pakistan itself has
got a very grave terrorist threat, and we’ve got to give
them support, as well.
KILMEADE: They’re making the same mistake in
Pakistan as they did in Iraq. They’re killing
innocent people, turning the population against their
cause.
SMITH: Well, but look at what the terrorists
do.
KILMEADE: No, that’s what I’m saying
that they’re doing, terrorism.
SMITH: The bomb in the Marriott was just the worst
sort of cowardly attack that you can imagine, and Pakistan, we
know, has had considerable problems for the last few
years. They now need the support of the international
community to address it. What we do now in that area, the
Pakistan/Afghanistan area, is the current hot bed of
international terrorism, and that’s why there’s an
international responsibility to try and suppress it.
KILMEADE: Well, I hope every time you come to New
York, you come in and visit the studios. It’s great
to see you.
SMITH: Thanks very much. Nice to see
you.
[Ends]
Media Inquiries: Foreign Minister's office (02) 6277 7500