Transcript E&OE
18 July 2009
Interview - ABC
Subject: Attacks on hotels in Jakarta.
BRENDAN TREMBATH: Australia's Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith, is heading to Jakarta today and is on the phone from Perth.
Well Minister, what have you been told?
STEPHEN SMITH: The advice we have overnight is much as it was as outlined by the Prime Minister yesterday evening. We have very grave concerns for three Australians, Garth McEvoy, Craig Senger and Nathan Verity. I hate using euphemisms at times like this but we fear the worst. But there are a range of official and also family reasons why I can't go any further in that respect.
Secondly we are indicating to the Indonesia authorities that any assistance at whatever level we will provide and that's one of the reasons why, in a few hours' time, I'm leaving Perth to travel to Jakarta to underline to the Indonesian authorities that any assistance we can provide will of course be done so. But it's also a show that the Australian government stand shoulder to shoulder with Indonesia at this terrible time. But also because Australians overseas, including Australian officials, have been adversely affected or potentially adversely affected by a terrible incident I want to show our support and our solidarity with them at a very tragic and terrible time.
BRENDAN TREMBATH: Minister, how satisfied are you with the security at these hotels? It was beefed up after previous attacks. These hotels are used often by foreigners to stay and meet.
STEPHEN SMITH: The advice I have from officials is that these two hotels including other hotels in Jakarta are used by the Indonesian Government, they're used by foreign governments, they're used by international business people for major events and for functions. And the security arrangements for these hotels have been substantially improved since the attack upon the Marriott hotel in 2003.
But obviously in the face of such a terrible event, there are a couple of things that we want to do. One of course in conjunction with the Indonesian authorities, we would want to satisfy ourselves about the arrangements on the actual day. But secondly to satisfy ourselves as to the improvements that were made to those security arrangements.
So when you're faced with a terrible tragedy where there's loss of life, and our current advice is nine dead and over 40 injured including one Australian injured. In the face of these terrible circumstances in the cold light of day there's a need to exhaustively examine all of these things and we will, together with the Indonesians. But the improvements to these hotels is obviously an issue that needs to be carefully examined.
But substantial improvements on my advice were made at the Marriott and other hotels, following the attack upon the Marriott in 2003.
BRENDAN TREMBATH: The security enhancements included checking people and vehicles going into the hotels. But people who do business in Indonesia how can they really be safe?
STEPHEN SMITH: Our travel advice for Indonesia, for a considerable period of time has of course been to reconsider your need to travel, primarily being as a consequence of the risk of terrorist attack. Our travel advice identifies over a dozen particular general sites where westerners may gather, including hotels and tourist sites.
But our travel advice is not a direction, it's advice. And Australians make their own judgement about what they do. But in terms of the particular incident here I think it's important to bear in mind that yes there are risks associated with going to Indonesia. We draw that to attention but in terms of both the Indonesian government, foreign governments and international business people doing business in Indonesia and working in Indonesia and getting the job done in Jakarta, these hotels and other hotels were regarded as places where substantial improvements had been made to security arrangements since the attack upon the Marriott in 2003.
BRENDAN TREMBATH: Did you or the Prime Minister have any indication from intelligence services or elsewhere that some sort of attack was likely or imminent?
STEPHEN SMITH: The advice I have from officials but obviously just as all of the security arrangements need to be carefully and exhaustively examined and analysed the advice I have from officials is that there was no intelligence which would draw attention to these attacks but obviously as well that is now being exhaustively, assessed. Intelligence is not something that I would normally have a public conversation about but again, in the context of a terrible tragic event and a terrible terrorist attack, we want to satisfy ourselves about that matter as well. But the advice I have from officials is there was no intelligence that they are aware of which would draw attention to these particular attacks but that's being exhaustively assessed as well.
BRENDAN TEMBATH: Minister, thank you for the update.
STEPHEN SMITH: Thanks.
[End]
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