Foreign Minister Smith interview with AM, ABC Radio
Topics: Flotilla
Transcript, E&OE
1 June 2010
PETER CAVE: Australia's Foreign Minister is Stephen Smith.
He is in our Canberra studio he's with our chief political correspondent Lyndal Curtis.
LYNDAL CURTIS: Stephen Smith welcome to AM.
STEPHEN SMITH: Thank you.
LYNDAL CURTIS: There have been Australians caught up in this. Have you any further news on their welfare?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well of course, everyone's aware, I think, of the two Sydney Morning Herald journalists, they're both safe and we're endeavouring to give them Consular assistance and have access to them.
One Australian we know has been wounded, a gunshot wound in the leg, he's received hospital treatment and is receiving Consular access. We don't have information that any other Australians have been caught up, either injured or killed, at this stage but obviously we're working very actively through our officials to ascertain the whereabouts and wellbeing of any other Australians.
LYNDAL CURTIS: Do you know how many other Australians might have been involved?
STEPHEN SMITH: We're not proposing to put a number on that at this stage other than to say we are, through our officials, strenuously trying to ascertain the whereabouts and welfare of any other Australians. But, as I stress, other than one Australian who's been wounded, a gunshot wound to the leg, we've got no information that anyone else has been adversely caught up in the incident.
LYNDAL CURTIS: Has there been any difficulty getting Consular access to the Australians?
STEPHEN SMITH: We're asking for Consular access and we'll see whether that occurs in the course of the day but we do know in the case, for example, of the two Sydney Morning Herald journalists, that they are safe.
So far as the injured Australian is concerned, he has been provided with Consular assistance and has received hospital treatment.
LYNDAL CURTIS: And are the other Australians being detained?
STEPHEN SMITH: At this stage we're proceeding exhaustively through our officials trying to ascertain the whereabouts and wellbeing of any other Australians, for this point I'll leave it at that.
LYNDAL CURTIS: And the two Sydney Morning Herald journalists, Paul McGeough and Kate Geraghty, are they being detained?
STEPHEN SMITH: My understanding is that they have essentially been advised that they're open for deportation. I'm not aware what the decision, if any, the two Sydney Morning Herald journalists have made.
LYNDAL CURTIS: And just on the issue- was it an overreaction by Israel?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well, look, it's a terrible and shocking incident and I think people have genuinely been shocked by it. But I think we do need to proceed very calmly. There are always claim and counter claim.
Firstly, I think, it is appropriate for Australia to deplore the violence and deplore the deaths. We are, of course, always abhorred when there is violence that leads to death.
We then need to work out very carefully what's the best way of proceeding. The Security Council is currently in closed session considering these matters. Certainly Australia thinks there has to be, there must be, a credible investigation. And the onus…
LYNDAL CURTIS: An international investigation?
STEPHEN SMITH: The onus, in the first instance, in our view, is on Israel to effect a credible investigation. The onus is on Israel to present to the international community, and in our view the Security Council, an investigation, a credible, transparent investigation, as to these matters.
That in the first instance is, in our view, the start of the matter. There has to be, conducted by Israel, a credible investigation that needs to be subject to the scrutiny of the international community through the Security Council, given that the Security Council is already seized of the matter.
The onus is on Israel to provide a detailed explanation as to these matters. There are, of course concerns, not just expressed in Australia but throughout the international community, of the use of force and the possible use of disproportionate force.
LYNDAL CURTIS: The United States is not yet calling for the blockade on Gaza to be lifted. Should it be?
STEPHEN SMITH: The United States' position is not the Australian position on this matter. Australia has in the past argued for an easing of the blockade, of the restrictions of access into the Gaza, particularly so far as humanitarian assistance and aid is concerned.
We've expressed that view in Security Council open sessions and that remains our view. There's a short term solution to, hopefully, preventing incidents, terrible, shocking incidents, like this occurring again is ease of access for aid and humanitarian assistance. But the long term solution has to be an enduring peace in the Middle East which is why we continue to strongly support the efforts for a viable peace process.
LYNDAL CURTIS: Israel has been widely condemned for what happened with the flotilla in Gaza, condemned even by people who, by countries it would consider as friends. Will there be permanent damage to Israel from this?
STEPHEN SMITH: That will depend on the way in which Israel conducts itself now. As I say, I do think the onus is on Israel to conduct, in the first instance, a credible investigation. The onus is on Israel to, in a detailed way, explain the facts and what has occurred here.
There is, as you've seen overnight, very considerable concern in the international community about what I've described as a terrible and shocking incident. But there are always, in these matters, particularly when there's violence which we deplore, when there's loss of life which we deplore, claim and counter claim.
We need to proceed very carefully and sensibly on the basis of an assessment which calmly assesses the facts. That assessment should be the subject, in my view, of the scrutiny of the Security Council.
LYNDAL CURTIS: And will you be speaking to Israel's representatives in Australia about your views?
STEPHEN SMITH: Our officials at every level, both in Canberra and in Tel Aviv, are in close contact with Israeli officials on this matter. In the first instance, of course, it is to do with those consular matters that we discussed earlier.
But they're also putting our view, which I've outlined, which goes to the easing of restrictions for access to the Gaza for aid and humanitarian assistance and also a credible response to this shocking incident.
LYNDAL CURTIS: Stephen Smith thank you very much for your time.
STEPHEN SMITH: Thank you.
PETER CAVE: The Foreign Minister speaking there to Lyndal Curtis who is our chief political correspondent in Canberra.
Media inquiries
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