Transcript E&OE
18 July 2009
Doorstop Interview - Perth Airport
Subject: Jakarta hotel bombings.
MR SMITH: Well thanks very much for turning up. In a few minutes I'll fly to Jakarta and join with my counterpart, Indonesian Foreign Minister Wirajuda to condemn these terrible, terrible terrorist attacks. We express our condolences to the family members of those people who have been killed in this terrible atrocity, but also to indicate that we stand shoulder to shoulder with Indonesia at this terrible time. I, of course, condemn the attacks. Our hearts go out to the families of those Australians who have been adversely affected. We are very gravely concerned about three Australians, we fear the worst, but for a range of official and family reasons, I'm not in a position to confirm or identify the Australians concerned. There's been extensive media coverage and reporting of the three for whom we are gravely concerned, and as I say, I fear the worst but I'm not yet in a position to confirm those.
I'll be accompanied on my trip by a number of Australian officials, by the National Security Advisor, by our Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism, and by the Chief Executive of Austrade. Australians have been killed and injured overseas, and when Australians are killed and injured overseas we want to show our support of them, we want to show our condolences, and we want to make sure that everything that we can do in these terrible circumstances is being done. The advice that I have is that whatever assistance we can give to family members and to our officials who have been affected, or potentially affected, is being done. But I'd like on my visit to Jakarta to extend our support and sympathy on behalf of the Government and the people of Australia, to those officials and Australians. It's also very important that we stand shoulder to shoulder with Indonesia at this time. Indonesia is one of our closest and most important relationships and we have worked very closely with Indonesia over the last half a dozen or more years on counter-terrorism matters. It's quite clear that this atrocity has been conducted by a terrorist group. It's been methodically
planned but the exhaustive and detailed assessment of that will now occur. We've indicated to the Indonesian authorities that we stand ready, willing and able to render whatever assistance we can provide and I'll underline and confirm that when I meet with Foreign Minister Wirajuda early this afternoon in Jakarta. I'm happy to respond to a brief number of questions and then I will get on the plane.
REPORTER: Is there any intelligence information available on this?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well as I've said earlier today, generally I don't speak about intelligence but when a terrible atrocity like this occurs, I'm happy to make some remarks. The advice that I have from officials is that there was no intelligence which would point to these particular atrocities but because it's occurred, just as we want to do an exhaustive assessment together with the Indonesian authorities of the circumstances relating to the events, just as, and just so we will also be doing an exhaustive assessment of the intelligence which came in. But I'm advised by officials that there was nothing which would indicate these particular attacks, but we will do that exhaustive assessment, in the normal course of events just as we will, together with the Indonesian authorities, do an exhaustive assessment of the atrocities themselves including security arrangements on the day.
REPORTER: What will Duncan Lewis and Bill Patterson be doing in Jakarta?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well Mr Lewis is of course the National Security Adviser, and Mr Patterson is our Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism, and of course, also accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer of Austrade. The Chief Executive Officer of Austrade will obviously be speaking with his officials and their family members who have been affected by the terrible events. The National Security Advisor, Mr Lewis, and the Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism, Mr Patterson will be in discussion with Indonesian officials and also accompany me on my call to Foreign Minister Wirajuda. But this just reinforces the close relationship, the important relationship that we have with Indonesia, the very strong cooperative working arrangements that we have at our office and at agency level, but it underlines that we are ready, willing and able to provide whatever assistance the Indonesians may require and it also reflects the fact that generally but on these terrible, terrible instances we stand shoulder to shoulder with Indonesia in condemning the events, but also shoulder to shoulder in bringing the perpetrators to justice and extending our condolences to them for the terrible events.
REPORTER: You've been working for a long time, seven years, very closely with Indonesia, how devastating or frustrating is it that this has happened given all of this massive work since 2002?
STEPHEN SMITH: These are terrible events. It's a terrible and tragic event and our hearts go out to the family members who've been adversely affected. We've been working very closely with the Indonesian authorities, both the current Government and before and we can't and don't fault the cooperative arrangements, but we have been saying for a number of years now, and our travel advisory reflects this, there continues to be a high risk of terrorist activity in Indonesia and the events of the last twenty-four hours have underlined that.
REPORTER: Are you worried about more attacks in the near future?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well our travel advisory for a number of years has underlined the point that people need to be aware that terrorist attacks have occurred in Indonesia, and the risk and the threat of terrorist attacks is ongoing.
REPORTER: [Inaudible]
STEPHEN SMITH: Well the advice changed yesterday, but to bring the travel advice up to date in terms of the terrible incidents that occurred, it's been regularly reviewed, and regularly updated over the years, but for a half a dozen years its essential level has been to consider or reconsider your need to travel to Indonesia, and that has been as a direct consequence of terrorist attacks in the past and the ongoing terrorist threat.
REPORTER: Are we winning the war on terrorism in the archipelago?
STEPHEN SMITH: We continue to work very diligently, not just with Indonesia, but with other partners and friends in the region and one can't be complacent as these events have shown. It is an ongoing struggle and we can't be complacent in any way, and we're not, and when these terrible atrocities are committed by evil people then we have to exhaustively assess what's occurred and make sure that our diligence, our preparedness is at the highest possible level and is ongoing.
REPORTER: Can you tell us anything about the three Australians that you're concerned about?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well they've been named publicly and I've named them earlier this morning, and as I've put it, I don't like using euphemisms at times like this. Our hearts go out to family members, we are very gravely concerned, we fear the worst but for a range of official and family reasons, I'm not in a position to directly confirm. We hope that we will be in a position to give official clarity in the course of the day, it may take longer. I don't think I can put it any more plainly than that. Our hearts go out to family members, but for a range of family and official reasons I'm not in a position to confirm.
REPORTER: How long do you think you'll be in Jakarta and do you hope to meet the [inaudible]?
STEPHEN SMITH: At this stage I'll be in Jakarta for today and part of tomorrow. At this stage my call is upon Foreign Minister Wirajuda. Thanks very much everyone. Thank you.
[End]
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