E&OE
6 November 2008
Interview - Sky News
Subject: US election; Bali bombers
COMPERE: Joining me now from Perth is the Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith. Minister, good morning.
STEPHEN SMITH: Good morning.
COMPERE: Barack Obama's promised a new dawn of American leadership for the world. What do you think that means?
SMITH: Well, firstly, I think it is a truly and deeply significant event, the first black American President. I think this does give the opportunity for America to go to the world, effectively, with a modern new era, a modern new image.
And certainly it has evoked optimism, confidence and hope throughout the world, not just the United States, that a range of long, intractable, almost seemingly difficult or impossible problems will now be met with a fresh start and fresh enthusiasm. So, I think there is optimism. But it is a deeply significant event and I think when people look back it'll be truly appreciated in that light, in that context.
COMPERE: Well, do you think that this result will change perceptions of the United States, particularly in parts of the world that have been hostile to the Bush Administration's aggressive foreign policy?
SMITH: Well, I'm certainly not proposing to say anything that would reflect upon the Bush Administration. I'll leave that to the historians when the Bush Administration term finishes on the twentieth of January. We'll work positively and constructively with the Administration until that time, as we have over the preceding 10 or so months.
But because it is such a significant event, I think that does give the chance, if you like, for brand America to go to the world in a modern new image. And I think that is what is evoking the optimism and the positive response. So, with any new Government, with any new Administration, you do have the opportunity to apply yourself with a fresh approach, with fresh enthusiasm.
We found that here with the election of a new Australian Government, that you're able to apply yourself with a fresh approach. And that'll be a good thing because there are a range of very serious challenges that President-elect Obama and his Administration will have. Afghanistan is one. The United States’ relationship with China is another. Difficulties in Pakistan is another and trying to make progress with the Middle East peace process. So there are plenty of significant challenges.
From Australia's perspective, of course, I think there are two priorities in the first instance. One is the ongoing nature of the alliance and the second is our view that the United States needs to be very actively engaged in the Asia-Pacific region. But with those two matters of Australian direct interest, we're not expecting anything other than, you know, a very positive response from the new Administration in the United States.
COMPERE: Well, as you say, there will now be a very significant shift in America's foreign policy. But, in particular, when you - we're looking at Barack Obama's policies on Iraq and Afghanistan, how could that impact on Australia's efforts in those countries?
SMITH: Well, both Senator Obama and Senator McCain committed themselves, in the course of the Presidential campaign, to an enhanced commitment in Afghanistan. Not just a military or a combat or peace and security commitment, but also a commitment to try and do more on the civilian front, on the nation building or state institution, capacity building front. And we very much agree with that approach.
In Afghanistan, it can't be peace and security for peace and security's sake. It's to try and give the Afghan Government and the Afghan people a chance to organise their own affairs. We also think it's important that the Karzai Government, the Afghan Government, contemplate a political settlement with other political forces in Afghanistan. So, that's very much the Obama-Biden view and we strongly support that.
COMPERE: Democrats are notoriously protectionist. How's that going to impact US free trade and what impact, in particular, could Barack Obama's Presidency have on Australian farmers?
SMITH: Well, I've seen that view ascribed to the Democrats generally. I'm not necessarily sure it's true of President-elect Obama himself. But Australia's very strong view is that this is not the time to retreat to protectionism. This is not the time to do anything other than to continue to move forward, on liberalisation and openness and access to the world's economies.
We have very strongly been pushing a successful outcome at the Doha round. Simon Crean has been working very hard, internationally, to try and breathe life back into those talks. And particularly in the context of the global financial crisis, we'll be arguing, continuing to argue, very strongly, that openness of the world's economies is the only way to proceed.
And that'll be a view that the Prime Minister and the Treasurer will be putting as they have their international meetings associated with the G-20 meeting in Washington on the fifteenth of November.
COMPERE: I'm glad you mentioned that meeting, Minister. Do you think that Kevin Rudd will be seeking a meeting with Obama when he does go to Washington at the end of this month?
SMITH: Well, we've put out through officials, the contact which is the Prime Minister would like, in the near future, to speak to President-elect Obama to offer congratulations.
The tradition, of course, is that in the United States they're very careful and conscious of the transitional arrangements. The Bush Administration is not a caretaker government. They're a fully-fledged Administration until the twentieth of January. And, traditionally, whilst there is a transitional team, the President-elect takes a pretty low profile.
I think the only area where it's likely to be some change to that traditional approach is in the financial crisis area. You'll remember that President Bush drew Senator Obama and Senator McCain directly into his consultations. So it may well be that President-elect Obama's transitional team has a much greater role in the ongoing global financial crisis deliberations and, possibly, Senator Obama himself.
And there is the prospect, with the G-20 leaders, including the Prime Minister, going to Washington on the fifteenth of November, there may be some informal contact between President-elect Obama and some of those leaders.
But the tradition has been that the President-elect waits until inauguration day, on the twentieth, before starting that fully-fledged contact with other nation's leaders. But given you've got the global financial crisis, there is the prospect that, particularly in that area, that we'll see a change from the tradition, a change from the traditional transitional approach.
COMPERE: Just finally, Minister, the execution of the Bali bombers is imminent. Does the Australian Government know when it's going to happen? And what information do you have about the threat that was received by the Australian Embassy in Indonesia over the past couple of days?
SMITH: Well, firstly, we're proceeding on the same basis as the public is, which is the announcement by the Indonesian Government that the executions will take place in early November. I'm not getting involved in a day-to-day commentary. I think whenever there's a day-to-day commentary, what it does do is just remind the families of the victims of the terrible events. So I'll simply wait until it occurs.
We've, of course, known that the prospect of the executions can bring increased threats to Australians in Indonesia and Bali, including our embassies and our consuls, and we're very alert to that. We're taking all the necessary precautions and you would have seen that the Indonesians, for example, have enhanced security in a range of locations, including diplomatic sites throughout Jakarta and Indonesia. So, we're very conscious of those security implications and we're taking all the necessary precautions.
And I again indicate to Australians that if they're thinking of travelling to Indonesia or Bali, they should very carefully read the travel advisory, which is to reconsider your need to travel to Indonesia and Bali. And if you do go to Bali or Indonesia, you should keep away from the sites which have previously been the sites for terrorist activity and terrorist action.
COMPERE: Minister Stephen Smith, thank you for your time.
[Ends]
Media Inquiries: Foreign Minister's office (02) 6277 7500