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JIM MIDDLETON: Australia's current Government came to power in 2007 promising to ease John Howard's hard stand on asylum seekers. But now the trickle of boats in the waters to Australia's north has turned into a flood as Afghans and Sri Lankans flee the conflict in their homelands. In response the Government's turned tough, suspending refugee claims from Afghan and Sri Lankan asylum seekers for up to six months. Stephen Smith is Australia's Foreign Minister. Foreign Minister thanks for joining us.

STEPHEN SMITH: My pleasure Jim.

JIM MIDDLETON: First to Thailand, and just how concerned are you about the acknowledgement from the military that they did indeed use live ammunition against the Red Shirt demonstrators?

STEPHEN SMITH: In general terms of course we're very concerned and we'd like to see these differences resolved peacefully and peaceably. And we're always concerned when any country has difficulty in resolving these matters in such a manner. Australia's a very strong friend of Thailand, we have been for some time, and we continue to urge them to seek to resolve these matters in accordance with their democratic traditions and in accordance with their democratic processes. We know of course it's very difficult for them but we do want to see these matters resolved in a peaceful manner.

JIM MIDDLETON: Hundreds of thousands of foreigners, not just Australians, do visit Thailand each year as tourists. Is it time for them to rethink their plans?

STEPHEN SMITH: Our travel advice to the Australian travelling public is to exercise a high degree of caution if they are in Thailand. Unlike previous occasions, these most recent demonstrations and clashes - and very regrettably, these ones have seen over 20 lives lost and hundreds of injuries - so there have been very serious clashes. They haven't involved as yet, for example, the airports. And on the previous occasion we saw significant demonstrations - there was major and significant disruption to the travelling public. So our advice to Australians is to exercise a high degree of caution and to avoid these areas where the demonstrations occur. But on the previous occasions the Thai Government, the Thai Parliament, the Thai people, understood that there had been an adverse implication from the public demonstrations and that was an ebbing of the tourist flow and that is not in Thailand's interest. There are very many Australians, thousands of Australians who are in Thailand at any given time and thousands who travel and tour Thailand on an annual or regular basis, so there are significant adverse implications for Thailand so far as the economy and the tourist industry are concerned if these matters are not brought under control.

JIM MIDDLETON: Some members of the governing coalition have been suggesting to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva that he bring forward the country's election agenda. In the circumstances, does Australia think that would be a good idea?

STEPHEN SMITH: Well it's not for me, it's not appropriate for me or for Australia to publicly offer Thailand advice on these matters. It is appropriate for me to indicate, as I have, that we want to see these matters resolved peacefully and we certainly want to see these matters resolved in accordance with Thailand's democratic processes and through its democratic institutions. We have been pleased that in the most recent period during very difficult times Thailand has resisted any suggestions or encouragement that it return to military rule. We would of course regard that as a drastic step backwards, a drastic reversal. But I'm not proposing to give Foreign Minister Kasit or anyone else in public life in Thailand advice as to how they should resolve these matters other than the need to see them resolved peacefully in accordance with democratic processes, and of course to be resolved as quickly as possible.

JIM MIDDLETON: Now to your Government's decision to suspend refugee claims from Sri Lankan and Afghan asylum seekers. This does appear to have more to do with domestic political difficulties than with international principle, does it not?

STEPHEN SMITH: I don't agree with that characterisation. For people who do think it's political, to use your expression, then the Australian public will have the opportunity to pass judgement on that in the course of this year. But we want to protect our borders, we want to stop the flow of unauthorised arrivals. But at the same time we want to conduct ourselves in accordance with our international obligations. In particular, our obligations under the Refugee Convention and the basis for our suspension, a three month suspension in the case of Sri Lanka and a six month suspension in the case of Afghanistan is because we see circumstances which impact directly on a person's potential refugee status in both of those countries as evolving or changing. And that view has been in terms of evolving or changing circumstances and has been articulated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. So we very strongly believe that there is a good policy, a good intellectual basis, for the decision that we have taken and we make absolutely no apologies for it. And the Immigration Minister and I and the Prime Minister have very carefully outlined that message to not just the Australian community but also to the people smugglers and the potential clients on whom they prey.

JIM MIDDLETON: If the number of Afghan and Sri Lankan asylum seekers does start to slow, would the Australian Government reconsider the ban or will it remain in force until after Australia goes to the polls later this year?

STEPHEN SMITH: Well we thought very carefully about the evolving circumstances. It's not a decision that we rushed. And we came to the conclusion that in the case of Sri Lanka, a suspension with a review after three months was an appropriate period of time and in the case of Afghanistan where circumstances are more difficult, perhaps more difficult to judge, a six month suspension was appropriate in the first instance and we'll review it after that six month period. But we've also seen, as a consequence of changing circumstances, already we've seen in the most recent period a large number of asylum seeker applicants for refugee status being refused or rejected. And we expect, as these circumstances evolve, to see a smaller number of asylum seekers successfully granted refugee status. So our approach to matters is quite straightforward. If someone is accorded refugee status, we will give them protection. If they're not accorded refugee status, they will be returned to their country of origin and it is our desire to make sure that we make sensible decisions so far as refugee status is concerned. That is at the basis of our decision to suspend and that has been the subject of criticism within Australia as you would have seen but we make no apology for it. We are happy to give protection to genuine refugees, to those people who fall within the provisions of the Convention, but if they don't they will be returned home. The advertising by the people smugglers that if they come to Australia they'll get a visa is not the case and people should be very careful about relying upon the words of criminal people smugglers to somehow suggest that they can automatically get refugee status in Australia. We don't believe that is the case nor is that appropriate to be the case.

JIM MIDDLETON: Foreign Minister thanks very much.

STEPHEN SMITH: Thanks Jim, thanks very much.

[ENDS]

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