E&OE
26 October 2008
Press Conference
Subjects: Travel to Cyprus, Israel, the Palestinian Territories and Paris; travel advice to Indonesia
STEPHEN SMITH: Well tonight I'll leave Australia to visit Cyprus, Israel and the Palestinian Territories and Paris.
It will be my first visit to Cyprus as Foreign Minister. In Cyprus I'll meet with President Christofias and also Foreign Minister Kyprianou. And my visit to Cyprus reflects Australia's long standing interest in Cyprus. But also our long standing desire to see a settlement to the difficult situation in Cyprus which, of course, has existed since the 1960s.
Australia has had an Australian Federal Police presence in Cyprus since 1964, so we have a long standing interest in resolving the difficult Cyprus matter.
There's a lot of interest in Cyprus in the Australian community. Australia has the second largest Cypriot community outside of Cyprus. After Cyprus is the United Kingdom and then Australia. So a significant interest in the Cyprus in the Australian community.
Of course, you'll recall that Australia very strongly supported the appointment of former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer as the UN Secretary-General Special Advisor in Cyprus. And Australia also has appointed a special representative to Cyprus, our ambassador to France, David Ritchie and Ambassador Ritchie will join me in Cyprus.
My visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories will be my first to Israel and the Palestinian Territories as Foreign Minister. I have of course been to both in the past as a Member of Parliament.
My visit to Israel marks the Sixtieth Anniversary of Israel's existence as a nation state and my purpose in my visit to Israel is to reflect the friendship between Australia and Israel. To reflect the importance of the Sixtieth Anniversary. But also to underline, not just Australia's friendship, long standing friendship with Israel, but also our very strong support of the peace process.
My visit to the Palestinian Territories also underlines the importance of the peace process and underlines Australia's very strong attachment to the notion that the only long-term enduring solution to the Middle East is a two state solution, a two nation state solution.
In the Palestinian Territories I'll meet with the Palestinian Prime Minister and my Foreign Ministerial counterpart. I'll also meet with the Chief Palestinian Liberation Organisation negotiator Abu Ala’ who I've met in the past.
My visit to Paris, of course, reflects the fact that France currently holds the Presidency of the European Union. And in Paris, together with Foreign Minister Kouchner, we will present the Australia-European Union Partnership Framework. This is a very significant agreement and reflects the very strong desire on the part of the Australian Government to increase our engagement with the European Union.
You'll recall the very successful visit and meeting that Prime Minister Rudd had in April with the President of the European Union, President Barroso. And as a consequence of that meeting, we indicated our desire, both the European Union and Australia, to increase the intensity of our relationship and to agree a partnership framework in the course of this year. So Foreign Minister Kouchner and I will present the Australia-EU Partnership Framework Agreement in Paris during the week.
This follows on a couple of very significant agreements that we've entered into with the European Union in the course of this year. The Passenger Names Agreement which is very important to our commercial travelling arrangements. And an agreement for a Comprehensive Air Services Agreement with the European Union.
So three very important visits: Cyprus, long standing interest to Australia; Israel, of course, a long standing friendship and a long standing interest in the Australian community of achieving an enduring peace in the Middle East; any my visit to France, reflecting the fact that Australia wants to take its relationship with the European Union to a much higher level.
As an entity, the European Union is the largest foreign investor in Australia, so it's not just historical and other ties. It's the importance of the trade and investment ties as well.
I'm happy to respond to questions on those matters, or any other matters of interest to you this morning.
Thank you.
QUESTION: You're going to some countries that have endured many years of troubled
times. How important is it that Australia and the Foreign Minister sort of visits these countries and does what you're doing?
SMITH: Well we think it's very important that Australia is regarded as a good international citizen. And one of the hallmarks, in our view, of being a good international citizen, is to lend support to peace keeping. To lend support to trying to resolve difficult conflicts. Cyprus is a long standing conflict. With the election of President Christofias, we've seen much more optimism about a settlement in Cyprus than we have for very many years.
But we have had a presence in the peace keeping arrangements in Cyprus, since the initial conflict back in the 1960s, so since 1964. And that continues. And as I say, the Australian Cypriot community is the third largest in the world, following on from Cyprus itself and the United Kingdom.
But it does reflect our desire to be a good international citizen and to lend our support to the resolution, the peaceful resolution of difficult circumstances. And the same is true, of course, of Israel and the Palestinian Territories and the Middle East. We're a long standing supporter, as a nation, of a two nation state solution for the Middle East and I'll reinforce that when I'm in both Israel and the Palestinian Territories.
QUESTION: Incidentally, how big is our Federal Police Force in…
SMITH: I'm happy to stand corrected, but I think it's about 15. It's modest, but it's of long standing.
QUESTION: Would you be more hopeful of seeing a lasting program for negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Territories under Barack Obama as President of the United States?
SMITH: Well that assumes a whole range of things. I'm not proposing to assume the outcome of the election in the United States. I'll wait until that occurs firstly.
Secondly, I'm not proposing to make any comments which would be seen as favouring one candidate or the other, or indeed, reflecting in any way on the current Administration.
I think what it is true to say is that the United States, under both Republican and Democrat Administrations, have had a very keen interest in trying to seek a long-term enduring solution in the Middle East.
One of the first things I did when I became Foreign Minister was to welcome very much the Annapolis Peace Process and also to indicate our very strong support of that by effectively doubling our humanitarian and development assistance to the Palestinian Authorities at the Paris Donors' Conference in December last year.
What I think is clear is that the original aspiration of the Annapolis Agreement was to seek a resolution by the end of this year. I don't think anyone's holding out hope for that. But we do all hold out hope for a long-term enduring resolution. And our long standing view, Australia's long standing view as a good friend of Israel and a good friend of the Palestinian Territories, has been a two nation state solution. And we hope that can be effected as soon as possible, but we're realistic about that occurring either before the change of administration in the United States, or before the end of this year.
QUESTION: Minister, moving onto Bali, what's your latest advice as to the political climate in Bali and Indonesia?
SMITH: Well so far as the political climate is concerned, Indonesia, of course, is a stable democracy and they'll have an election for the presidency in the course of next year.
So far as our travel advice to Indonesia, which includes Bali, is concerned, for sometime our travel advice has been indicating to Australians that they should reconsider, or consider their need to travel to Bali.
Of course, in recent days we've seen announcements by the Indonesian Authorities of a general timetable for the execution of the Bali Bombers. And as we always update and review our travel advisory on a regular basis, in recent days our travel advice commentary, as far as Bali and Indonesia is concerned, has drawn attention to that.
But the implications of the conviction of the Bali Bombers and the legal processes arising out of their conviction has been referred to generally in our travel advisory for some time.
So we urge Australians to contemplate their need to travel to Bali and Indonesia. We know that in the past there have been terrible atrocities committed there. And we indicate to Australians they should take advice, take heed of our travel advice. If they do travel to Bali or Indonesia, they should take very much care when they're there.
QUESTION: Would you take…
QUESTION: How seriously are you taking the threats…
SMITH: Sure, sure.
QUESTION: …by the Bali Bombers.
QUESTION: Would you take your family to Bali?
SMITH: I've never been to Bali for a holiday and I'm not proposing, or in a position to go on a holiday in the near future.
QUESTION: Because it's dangerous?
SMITH: I don't draw on my own personal activity or experiences to make foreign policy points. I make that point crystal clear.
QUESTION: But even a working holiday?
SMITH: No, no. Australians, when they're travelling overseas, should read our travel advice and...
QUESTION: So - even Bali though?
SMITH: I'm not proposing to travel anywhere in the near future, other than to Cyprus, to Israel, the Palestinian Territories and Paris.
QUESTION: Are you [indistinct]…
SMITH: Sorry, there was one over here.
QUESTION: How seriously are taking these threats by the Bali Bombers?
SMITH: Well our travel advisory says that there are risks of terrorist attacks in Indonesia and people should proceed accordingly.
I've seen the references by the Bali Bombers and I treat them with nothing but contempt. I treat their comments, their conduct, with nothing but contempt.
QUESTION: Are you happy at least that some kind of - if not date, timeframe has been set for the next few weeks for the execution?
SMITH: Well it's a matter for the Indonesian Authorities. It's entirely a matter for them. We've made that point clear. Every time, of course, there is a reference to these matters, one of the thoughts which crosses my mind, of course, is that every time there's a reference to such matters, it reminds the families so terribly affected by these terrible atrocities, of the loss of family members and loved ones.
So I think when these things are discussed, when these things occur, we should always bear in mind the feelings of families in Australia and also families in Indonesia who lost loved ones in both the Bali attacks, terrible atrocities and terrible loss of life. And terrible grief to those families both in Australia and in Indonesia.
QUESTION: As I understand it, the travel warning, there's a line in it refers to imminent - to the imminent execution of the Bali Bombers. But it doesn't specify whether we should stay away specifically for that reason. Is…
SMITH: Well our…
QUESTION: …should we be staying elsewhere?
SMITH: I'm not going to make any commentary other than the commentary that you find in the travel advisory. People should realise, Australians who are thinking of travelling overseas, whether it's to Indonesia or elsewhere, should take the advice that they find in our travel advisory.
So far as Indonesia is concerned, for some time our advice has been to consider, or reconsider your need to travel, because of the ongoing presence, possibility of terrorists threats. And for some time, our travel advice commentary has referred to the legal processes arising from the conviction of the Bali Bombers and indicated to people they should take that into account. That has been updated and it's been updated in the last couple of days, as Indonesian Authorities have announced their general timetable for the execution.
QUESTION: People are continuing to travel to Bali though. Does that concern you?
SMITH: It's a matter for them. All I can do is to say to people there is a travel advice, so far as Indonesia and Bali is concerned. They should contemplate that. They should think about that. They should take that advice. In the end what Australians do is a matter for them. We give them the best advice that we can. In the end the decision is theirs. But they need to contemplate that, before they travel.
QUESTION: Would you prefer that Indonesian Authorities just stated, after the fact, that the execution had - or the executions had taken place, rather than allow a lead up time?
SMITH: Well it's entirely a matter for the Indonesian Authorities, entirely a matter for them. This goes to the Indonesian legal and judicial processes and it's a matter for them and I'm not proposing to give a running commentary, or give them advice as to how they should conduct their own affairs. It's entirely a matter for them and that's been our approach to this matter for a considerable period of time.
QUESTION: Minister, on another issue. President Bush says caution needs - says countries need to recommit to a free market policy. But at the Asian European Summit, there have been calls for more regulation. What should we be doing?
SMITH: Well firstly I haven't carefully or closely studied the resolutions of the ASEAN meeting which took place effectively over the weekend, so I haven't looked carefully at the resolutions of ASEAN. That's the first point.
Secondly, Australia, of course, for a long time has supported a free market, but a free market which is subject to sensible and appropriate regulation. And that's the very point that we have been making so far as the financial crisis has been concerned. That yes, we need to see the efficient and effective operation of the market. But we also need to make sure that there are appropriate prudential and other regulatory arrangements in place.
We've been very clear that we regard the prudential and other arrangements in Australia as being appropriate for some period of time. We certainly think in our own region that the prudential and regulatory arrangements were improved after the Asian financial crisis a decade and a half ago, or nearly two decades ago. And we very strongly support the notion that the G20, both through Finance Ministers or Treasurers in our case and through leaders, should be the primary international institution or vehicle which drives the further financial regulatory and prudential reforms across the globe.
So in general terms, we support a free market. But we support a free market which is appropriately and sensibly regulated.
QUESTION: Do you always pray before the start of parliament. Is it relevant still?
SMITH: Well the House and the Senate have said prayers on a daily basis since Federation. From time-to-time there are suggestion that we should do, or adopt other mechanisms. And I think the Senate formally contemplated a Welcome to Country as a possibility some time ago and decided not to adopt that.
The Parliament, this year, as you will recall, at the first Parliamentary meeting, we had a formal Welcome to Country and then we had the Apology which I regard as historically very significant and also a very good thing for the Parliament and for the nation to do.
Whether the Parliament wants to contemplate different forms is, in the first instance, a matter for the Presiding Officers and the Procedures Committee and it's considered from time-to-time. And I'm happy if it's considered again. But, in the first instance, it's a matter for the Presiding Officers.
QUESTION: On the Bali situation, is the travel advice - is that based on the public comments made by the bombers, or is there further information coming from the Indonesian Authorities?
SMITH: Oh, it's…
QUESTION: What's the state of play, according to the individual?
SMITH: Well so far as the Bali Bombers comments are concerned on any matter, I have nothing but the absolute contempt for their commentary, nothing but the absolute contempt for it.
Our travel advisory's, whether they are for Indonesia or any other country, is as a result of all the information we receive. It's carefully and properly assessed from a whole range of agencies. And we don't rely upon the comments of contemptible individuals like the Bali Bombers.
QUESTION: Do you think the executions are fair?
SMITH: Well it's a matter for the Indonesian Authorities. It is part of Indonesian law and it's a matter for Indonesian law to be processed in accordance with the legal and judicial procedures of that country.
QUESTION: Is the revised warning fair on the Balinese?
SMITH: Well it's not a revised warning. It’s..
QUESTION: What is the - what do you think of your [indistinct] warning…
SMITH: No, no…
QUESTION: [Indistinct]
SMITH: …let's be very clear about this. Our travel advice for Indonesia and for Bali has been at the level it is at, which is consider or reconsider your need to travel, for some time. What has been changing is as events unfold the commentary changes. And we have changed the commentary as events have unfolded in recent days, as the Indonesian Authorities have indicated the timetable, the general timetable for the execution.
QUESTION: Would you realistically…
QUESTION: But do you think it's fair on the Balinese?
SMITH: Sorry?
QUESTION: But do you think it's fair on the Balinese, that you can have such a…
SMITH: The primary purpose of our travel advice is to give Australians the best advice, the best information that we can bring to them as they contemplate their travel.
The primary purpose of our travel advisory is the protection, the safety and security of Australians as they travel overseas.
QUESTION: Would you realistically expect Australians to choose alternative holiday destinations [indistinct]…
SMITH: Well as I…
QUESTION: …earlier than 12 months as a result?
SMITH: All the Government can do is to indicate to Australians what we believe the state of play is and we do that through our travel advisories. Whether people choose to follow that advice, or to make different decisions is entirely a matter for them. In the event, one of the great strengths of the Australian system is that we live in a democracy and people can make their own decisions provided they're not unlawful. It's not unlawful to travel to Indonesia. It's a matter for Australian's to make up their own mind as they are doing on a regular basis.
QUESTION: Minister, just can - sorry, for jumping the gun a bit here, but just to go back to the Australian EU Partnership…
SMITH: Yes.
QUESTION: Can I just get a general comment on what that will mean for Australia, the Australian-EU Partnership [indistinct]?
SMITH: Well what it does is it integrates the Australian relationship much more closely with the European Union. So we have a formalised partnership where we say one to the other, you know, we want to have a strong, integrated relationship with the European Union as an entity, that deals with matters across the board.
So we're not just dealing, for example, as we have historically with countries from the European Union, that we're not just dealing on a bi-lateral basis with the United Kingdom, with France, with Germany, Spain and the like. We're dealing with the European Union as an entity.
And the European Union now is a significant regional and international institution. It's very important, in our view, for us to have effectively an equal relationship with the European Union, one-on-one, as we have equal bi-lateral relationships with individual countries.
And if you like, one of the important reflections of that has been in the last week or so, where the Prime Minister spoke to President Barroso about the need to use the G20. I spoke to Foreign Minister Kouchner, not just wearing his French cap, but rang him because he is the European Union Foreign Minister for this period of time, making the point that Australia believes very strongly that to confront the financial crisis, the G20 was the best vehicle to use for that. And, of course, the European Union has an association with the G20 in a very real sense.
QUESTION: The Prime Minister's been [indistinct] for making a number of overseas trips and playing a greater role in foreign affairs. Is this a further sign of Australia's willingness to become a bigger player in international affairs?
SMITH: Well the Prime Minister and I both travel regularly overseas pursuing Australia's national interest.
Australia is a significant and considerable country. Yes, we're only number 50 in terms of population. But we're in the top 15 when it comes to size of our economy and also prosperity, income per capita. We're in the top dozen when it comes to defence and peace keeping expenditure. We're a significant and considerable country. We're not a super power. We're a middle sized power.
The Prime Minister and I have a very strong belief, very strong view, that it's in our national interest to conduct ourselves accordingly, which is why all of this year you've seen the new Australian Government wanting to engage greater and more effectively with the United Nations and other multi-lateral institutions. Wanting to engage much more intensely with the Asia Pacific. Wanting to ensure that our on-going alliance with the United States is very effective, which it is.
But also making the point that we believe there are a whole range of other areas of the globe, where Australia's interests can be advanced or pursued. The European Union is one of those. And as I mentioned at the United Nations recently, Africa is another.
So there's a lot to do and from time-to-time that requires the Prime Minister and I to travel overseas. But when we do that, we do that in a way in which we think unambiguously advances Australia's national interest. Insofar as the European Union is concerned, the point I made earlier, the European Union, as an entity, is the largest single investor, the largest single foreign investor in Australia. And Australia has survived and prospered by being a couple of things. By being an attractive place for overseas foreign investment, but also being a great trading nation. And that's what we continue to be.
QUESTION: Do you think that it's much more useful to actually physically travel to those countries to [indistinct] rather than doing it over the internet, or through media conferencing?
SMITH: Well it varies. We do all of the above. As I indicated in the course of the week there was good reason for me to have a conversation with Foreign Minister Kouchner and also with the Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice. The fact that I have met with Foreign Minister Kouchner and Secretary of State Rice makes those conversations easier, just as the fact that the Prime Minister has met with a very large number of his counterparts, means that in your day, as required, you can pick up the phone and have a conversation, which has been reinforced by a prior personal meeting.
So all of these things, you know, are dealt with appropriately. But they all, in our view, advance our national interests.
Happy? Okay. Thanks very much. Thank you. Cheers.
[Ends]
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