Interview on ABC2 News Breakfast
Topics: Political situation in Thailand, asylum seekers, settlements in Israel, assistance to Africa.
Transcript, Proof copy E&OE
16 March 2010
VIRGINIA TRIOLI: Now Australians travelling to Bangkok have been advised to exercise a high degree of caution as Thai security forces prepare for another wave of anti-government protests.
JOE O'BRIEN: Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has rejected calls from demonstrators to resign and call elections. For more, the Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith joins us now from Canberra. Minister good morning.
STEPHEN SMITH: Good morning Joe.
JOE O'BRIEN: Now as a nation that treasures democracy, is Australia calling on the unelected Abhisit Vejjajiva to step down and call elections?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well we're simply calling upon Thailand and the Thai people to resolve these matters peacefully and peaceably. Regrettably in the past we have seen in Thailand instances of military intervention. We welcome very much the fact that that road has not been gone down for a number of years but we want to see these matters resolved peacefully in accordance with Thailand's democratic and parliamentary processes and traditions.
JOE O'BRIEN: Do you regard Abhisit Vejjajiva as a legitimate leader of that country?
STEPHEN SMITH: He has the support of his Parliament just as other Prime Ministers have the support of their Parliament, so obviously we deal with him. We were disappointed that as a result of domestic matters he wasn't able to make his visit to Australia but we look forward to welcoming him in the future. But we certainly want to see these matters resolved peacefully. We've seen in Thailand in the past, big protests either in support of the former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra or large numbers of protesters in support of Prime Minister Abhisit. So we want these matters to be resolved peacefully. In the meantime we are advising Australians to avoid the demonstrations, to avoid large gatherings of people, and to be careful about how they move past government buildings and to exercise a high degree of caution.
JOE O'BRIEN: Just turning to another issue this morning. Is it likely asylum seekers will soon have to be processed on the mainland because Christmas Island will reach capacity?
STEPHEN SMITH: In the event these are matters for my colleague, the Minister for Immigration Senator Evans, he's made it clear in the past that if Christmas Island gets to its capacity, Christmas Island has a capacity for about 2000, there are currently improvements being made which will see that capacity go to 2300, 2400. Senator Evans has made it clear that if that capacity is met then he's looking at processing offshore arrivals at the facility in Darwin. But rather than responding to rumour or speculation or suggestions of boat arrivals, we should just allow Senator Evans to deal with the facts as they emerge.
JOE O'BRIEN: And it will be an embarrassment for the Government if it does get to that stage because Government officials have previously described Christmas Island as a white elephant.
STEPHEN SMITH: That's not been the description that the Government has been using while in office and particularly in the face of large flows of displaced people, not just in our region but around the world. We've made it clear that we will continue to see boat arrivals. We will continue to see large numbers of people moving throughout our region. That's why we're working very hard with countries in the region through the Bali Process to combat this very difficult problem.
JOE O'BRIEN: Now this situation between the US and Israel is deteriorating significantly. Do you agree Israel - the Israeli announcement was destructive to the peace process?
STEPHEN SMITH: I said at the time a few days ago that I thought it was a bad decision at the wrong time and it was not a helpful contributing to the peace process. I think that view has been echoed throughout the world. Certainly we saw the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, make very strong remarks along those lines. Australia's view for some time has been that a freeze on settlements would make a contribution to the peace process. We want to see the peace process and talks resumed, and we want to see a long term enduring peace in the Middle East.
JOE O'BRIEN: So should Benjamin Netanyahu reverse that decision now?
STEPHEN SMITH: Australian policy for some time has been for a freeze on settlements and as I said at the time we regard the most recent decision a bad decision. The timing was particularly unfortunate coming as it did in the midst of Vice President Biden's visit and it was not a helpful contribution to the peace process.
JOE O'BRIEN: Finally, just finally Minister, today you're announcing this $11 million aid package to Somalia, the DRC and Kenya, how do you ensure that food aid actually gets to the right people?
STEPHEN SMITH: We've been enhancing our engagement with Africa. Today I'm meeting with the Deputy Chair of the African Union an also with South Africa's Deputy Foreign Minister. And I'm announcing as you indicated a humanitarian assistance package of $11 million to Somalia, to Kenya, and the Democratic Republic Congo for food aid and also to help displaced people. We pride ourselves as being a good international citizen, making these humanitarian contributions where we can. We do that through the international NGOs and through national institutions. When any contribution is made of humanitarian or development assistance, there is always a risk that not all of that is delivered but we put in place international standards for monitoring, for auditing, and for accounting. But our attitude is that we are a well developed prosperous country so we can lend a helping hand in terrible and difficult circumstances. Whilst our engagement with Africa is very important strategically and economically, we also know there are difficult parts of Africa who do need the assistance of the international community and Australia's playing it's part in this respect.
JOE O'BRIEN: Okay, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, thanks very much for talking to us this morning
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