E&OE
28 October 2008, Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Doorstop Interview with Palestinian Foreign Minister Dr Riyad al-Malki
Palestinian Foreign Minister Dr Malki: (introductory remarks in Arabic)
Stephen Smith: Well Minister, firstly thank you very much for those warm remarks. Can I say that we've had a very productive meeting. Firstly I underlined to the Minister Australia's long-standing support of the peace process and Australia's long-standing view that the only basis for enduring peace in the Middle East is for a nation-state for Israel and a nation-state for the Palestinian people. Before I came to meet with the Minister here, I of course went to one of the refugee camps and that, to me, underlined the importance of the humanitarian contribution that Australia makes.
At the Paris donors’ conference in December last year one of the first acts of the new Australian government was to effectively double the contribution that Australia makes to the Palestinian Authority and to the Palestinian people, a contribution of $45 million.
$35 million of that $45 million contribution has previously been allocated and I can announce today that of the remaining $10 million, $7.5 million will go to the Palestinian Authority itself, to build the capacity of the Palestinian Authority's institutions and the remaining $2.5 million will go the United Nations for humanitarian assistance, fulfilling the need as we saw at the refugee camp. We also indicated that Australia was prepared to look at what more we could do.
So we'll be examining our development assistance program to see if there is more that we can do for the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people. Scholarships was one possibility that we will look at, that we discussed.
We also agreed that Australia and the Palestinian Authority should have more regular Ministerial contact, should have more regular high-level contact and we'll do that as a matter of course. Australia stands as a strong supporter of the peace process and a strong supporter of the need to ensure that the basis of a long-term enduring peace is a nation-state for Israel, under defined borders, and a nation-state for the Palestinian people so that both the people of Israel and the people of Palestine can live in an atmosphere of peace and security where they can bring greater prosperity to their own peoples.
Question (Ben Knight, ABC): Is this a strengthening of ties with the Palestinian Authority?
Smith: Well, Australia's been a long-standing friend and supporter of the Palestinian Authority, but the new Australian Government's view is that we think we can do more with that relationship which will assist the peace process.
This is my first visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories as Foreign Minister. It's my second visit to Ramallah. I came here in 2003 on a parliamentary delegation. But it's the first official visit by a Minister of the new government to both Israel and the Palestinian Authorities, and we think that one of the ways in which we can show our support of the peace process is by enhancing the contact that we have with the Palestinian Authority and by looking at whether there is more that we can do, particularly in that institution and capacity-building sense. In the end there can be a nation-state defined by borders but you need to have the institutions and capacity as a nation to provide for your own people. And a lot of that work can start now.
Question (Ben Knight, ABC): And in the five years since you've been here, what have you noticed, better? Worse?
Smith: Well the Minister asked me the same question and I made the point that, albeit off a low base, there does seem to be more commercial and productive activity, economic activity, particularly construction activity in Ramallah and the nods around the table seemed to reflect that that was the case, particularly construction. I noticed a lot more construction than when I was here five years ago.
Question (Jason Koutsoukis, Fairfax): Are you satisfied that the peace process is actually moving forward?
Smith: Well I'm certainly satisfied with the conversations I've had today. I've met today with the Israeli Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. I also met with Mr Netanyahu and of course my meeting with the Minister this afternoon. What I am absolutely convinced of is that there is a commitment to keep at the peace process, a commitment that there has to be a way to resolve the ongoing difficulty and there is general agreement that the only way that that difficulty can be resolved is by supporting a two-nation-state solution, and by supporting the peace process. No one is under any illusions that there will be a magical cure or a magical solution overnight, the alternative is to give up, no-one is talking about giving up.
Question (Jason Koutsoukis, Fairfax): Don't you think that there has been a lot of talking for many years without any progress?
Smith: Well I don't think that I would say without any progress. I think there is general acceptance now, which hasn't historically necessarily been the case, that the starting-point for long-term enduring peace can only be a two-nation-state solution.
(inaudible)
Question (Ben Knight, ABC): Just some comments for the Australian media about the Minister's visit, his Excellency ?
Malki: Well you know I sign with exactly what with everything His Excellency has said. I think this is really a very important visit, it really puts us on the right track in terms of really trying to strengthen our relationship and see exactly in which areas and how, we've agreed that capacity-building is a very important aspect in terms of institutions and in terms of really human resource development. This is an area I think we should really look at and try to strengthen the relationship at that level.
We have agreed that you know we will increase the frequency of meetings at Ministerial level, you know, whenever, where ever you know we attend regional or international forums or meetings in order to really look into these matters and develop such relations further. You know, I think, you know, that Australia is well-qualified in order really, in order to, to play a role in bringing closer both Palestinians and Israelis.
This approach is something that you know is very important and very useful. We do welcome the role that Australia might play if it wants. It is really being invited to play that role and I think you know that Australia as a friend of both Israel and Palestine is well-qualified to do that and we will, are looking forward for an increased role of Australia in really helping both Palestinians and Israelis to come closer to each other and to find the way to establish the two-state solution the way that they are trying to achieve.
[Ends]
Media Inquiries: Foreign Minister's office (02) 6277 7500