Transcript E&OE
25 May 2009
Interview: Kieran Gilbert, Sky News Agenda.
Subjects: Ambassador to Sweden; emissions trading; Doha; Burma and Aung San Suu Kyi; Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
KIERAN GILBERT: First though this morning on the program, I'm joined by the Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith. Good morning Mr Smith. Thanks for coming in.
STEPHEN SMITH: Good morning.
KIERAN GILBERT: I want to ask you first of all about reports in The Age newspaper that a senior diplomat that you put forward to be sent to Germany as Australia's ambassador to Germany was blocked personally by the Prime Minister. Is that true?
STEPHEN SMITH: First, let me make a couple of points. I don't comment on appointments that we made other than to announce who the appointed diplomat is. And that follows longstanding government practice in Australia and elsewhere. Secondly, I don't respond to rumour or speculation. I have announced an appointment of one of our senior officers to Sweden - Hugh Borrowman. He's a very good officer. He'll be a very good ambassador to Sweden. Sweden's an important post for us. From 1 July Sweden chairs the European Union. And we have tried to make much more of our modern engagement with Europe and the European Union through our Australia European Union partnership framework.
KIERAN GILBERT: Is it really important though? I mean, you hear Sweden; it doesn't sound like its frontline for an Australian diplomat. And this guy's meant to be one of our senior diplomats.
STEPHEN SMITH: He's a very good officer. He'll be a very good ambassador to Sweden. Sweden is important. As I say, we're trying to modernise our relationship with Europe. Sweden chairs the European Union as President from 1 July. It's an important country and it's an important posting. I make recommendations to the Governor General and Executive Council about our appointments. Obviously, from time to time I consult with the Prime Minister. That's exactly the same practice that every government has had. But I certainly don't get into the detail publicly about gossip or speculation about people's credentials or whether they've been considered or not considered for other posts.
KIERAN GILBERT: It's being suggested that this is another example of - the Prime Minister's reported today - as an example of the Prime Minister's obsessive control of foreign policy. Do you find that?
STEPHEN SMITH: No I don't. The Prime Minister and I work very closely and very well together. I also see the suggestion that somehow there's a gap or a lag in our appointments. That's certainly not the case. The Prime Minister and I make judgements about foreign policy in our national interest. I make judgements and the Prime Minister makes judgements about whom we appoint to serious, important diplomatic posts, again, in our national interest. We're very pleased with the level and the range and the quality of ambassadors that we have.
KIERAN GILBERT: So if it's in the national interest, suggestions that it's to do with any animosity between Mr Rudd and Mr Borrowman are false? They apparently went to university together.
STEPHEN SMITH: The number of people I went to university with as well, you know… It's just, frankly, gossip and rumour. I notice there's not one sourced comment from anyone in that piece. And I'm not going to give it anything more than that.
KIERAN GILBERT: Okay. Let's look to some more substantive debate now - the Emissions Trading Scheme is back before the Parliament. The prospects don't look good - the Liberal's - for the government getting it through - the Liberal's say that we should wait until there's an international agreement in Copenhagen. Now, as the Foreign Minister, you know that the track record for global agreements - whether it be on trade, the Doha round, or anything else - aren't good. Don't the Liberal's make a fair point?
STEPHEN SMITH: We know that negotiating these things internationally is always hard - whether it's trade in the Doha round; whether its emissions trading and climate change at Bali; or, down the track at Copenhagen. I'm not sure that I know what the Liberal Party is doing or wants to do on emissions trading and climate change; and that's because I'm not sure they know themselves. What we do know in their heart of hearts, they don't actually believe that we should be doing things to abate or minimise adverse climate change. We have put out, and got the support of the vast bulk of interest groups and the community - from business to environmental groups - for the Emissions Trading Scheme that we have put forward. There are two very important factors why we have got support. Firstly, it gives certainty to business. Business knows what the minimum levels will be, and they know what the maximum levels will be, on the basis there is a good and productive and positive international agreement. Environmentalists know that our minimum level is a good start, but also know that we want to work hard internationally to get a better agreement internationally so that we can enhance and increase our levels. We're giving good forward movement on abating climate change, certainty for business, and putting on the table for international negotiations a very good starting point.
KIERAN GILBERT: But given it is so difficult to get that international agreement, why not listen to what the Liberal's are saying and say, okay, well let's put the vote off for six months, or at least, you know, beyond the Copenhagen summit, so we know what the rest of the world's doing?
STEPHEN SMITH: Because that takes away two very important factors. One is domestic - it takes away any certainty for business whatsoever. The reason that the business community - whether it's the Australian Industry Group, the Chamber of Commerce, whoever it is, have come out supporting our approach, is because they get certainty. And particularly at a time of difficult economic and financial circumstances, having certainty is a very important factor. Secondly, it takes away a lot of our international argument. If we don't have a base from which we're working, if we can't say to other countries: this is the absolute minimum that we will do, but if we can encourage you and other countries to do more, we'll do more too, we'll go to a higher level, we'll go from the minimum of five to a maximum of 25. That's a very good negotiating position so far as an international conference is concerned.
KIERAN GILBERT: On two other issues. I want to ask you about Burma and Aung San Suu Kyi. Her lawyers are preparing the defence case this week. What's the latest as far as you're hearing and her health?
STEPHEN SMITH: As a matter of general principle, she of course should be released immediately and unconditionally. She was formally charged at the trial process on Friday, and her trial will continue today. Initially there was no access to the court or to her, but as a result of international pressure - including from Australia, but most importantly and particularly from some of our ASEAN countries and ASEAN itself - diplomats were given access to her and to the courtroom proceedings. On all reports she is well and in good health and in good humour. But, Australia's view is that this is just a device to continue her detention. She's been detained for 13 years out of 19. Her formal detention period is up in the middle of this week. We see this simply as a device to continue her detention. We strongly support and welcome the comments from ASEAN - from the ASEAN chair, Thailand and from the ASEAN Secretary General, urging Burma to effectively release her - and release her unconditionally and release her immediately.
KIERAN GILBERT: Okay, just finally, on the issue of a guest you've got in town today, the Tanzanian Foreign Minister. In terms of our relations with Africa, what is on the agenda today?
STEPHEN SMITH: Today is Africa Day. It celebrates the anniversary of the formation of the organisation of African states, now the African Union - some 46 years ago. I have in town today one of my foreign ministerial colleagues - Foreign Minister Membe - the Tanzanian Foreign Minister. We're starting to enhance our engagement with Africa. It's a country of a billion people. There are lots of economic opportunities. And the people to people contacts have gotten ahead of the government to government contact. There's a lot more we can do in minerals and petroleum resources, in agriculture. There's a lot we can do in terms of talking about the peacekeeping experience that we have - the peacekeeping that African nation states are now starting to do. So this is the beginning of our enhancing our engagement with Africa. Tanzania of course has been very active and very strong and very supportive of reform in Zimbabwe. I'll also be announcing today an additional $6 million of assistance, humanitarian and other assistance, to Zimbabwe, to continue to give good support to Prime Minister Tsvangirai and his Ministers in Zimbabwe.
KIERAN GILBERT: Okay. Well, Foreign Minister, appreciate your time, as always. Good to see you. Thanks.
STEPHEN SMITH: Thank you.
[Ends]
Media Inquiries: Foreign Minister's office (02) 6277 7500