Stephen Smith Transcript of Doorstop, Perth
Transcript
7 August 2010
QUESTION: First of all Minister, reports from Indonesia that the death sentence for Scott Rush may have been overturned. Can you confirm those for us?
STEPHEN SMITH: We're not in a position to confirm those reports. Obviously I've seen them. But this is a matter where we really do need to wait for the Indonesian judicial authorities to make their formal decisions and announce them. Scott Rush, through his lawyers, has formally lodged an appeal and will await the outcome of that.
Our position of course is of long standing and well known. If, at the end of the judicial and legal processes, he is still subject to the death penalty then Australia will support a plea of clemency on his behalf.
So we of course would welcome, very much welcome, any overturning of his death sentence but we do need to wait for formal advice from the Indonesian authorities.
QUESTION: So you wouldn't be approaching them in the meantime? You wait for them to come to you first.
STEPHEN SMITH: Our officials will seek over the next few days, to clarify but it really is a matter for patiently waiting for formal advice from Indonesia. But if, at the end of those judicial and legal proceedings, he is still subject to the death penalty then we will make and support a plea of clemency on his behalf.
QUESTION: Obviously you'd be very hopeful that this penalty would be overturned.
STEPHEN SMITH: We would welcome that very much but we do need to be patient and we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves and simply wait for the Indonesian authorities to make their decisions in their own time.
QUESTION: Today you've announced some more relief funding for Pakistan. Can you tell us about that?
STEPHEN SMITH: Yes, we're of course very concerned about the terrible consequences for the people of Pakistan with the terrible flooding. It's quite clear from all the reports and all of the United Nations assessments that things have gone from bad to worse. Last week we announced the $5 million emergency contribution to Pakistan and today I'm announcing a further $5 million contribution. Of this $4 million will go to the World Food Program to enable the distribution of emergency food and a further $1 million to the Pakistan Natural Disasters Emergency Management Foundation, which is supported by the United Nations.
So terrible adverse consequences for the people of Pakistan. Reports of anywhere between 1,500 and 2,000 deaths. Millions of people adversely affected or displaced. So we're very much helping Pakistan at a terrible moment, doing our best to be a good international citizen.
QUESTION: Will you keep monitoring this? Could you offer some more money is the situation gets worse?
STEPHEN SMITH: We will continue to monitor the situation. This is of course the second $5 million contribution we've made in the space of a week or so. We will continue to watch the assessments as they come through. Australian officials are part of the formal United Nations assessment processes but we'll continue to monitor and if a further contribution is required, we'll do so.
QUESTION: The vice-chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association, how important is that?
STEPHEN SMITH: We're very pleased that at the end of last week Australia was confirmed as the Vice-chair of the Indian Ocean Region Association for Regional Cooperation. We'll be the Vice-chair for 2011 and 2012 and then assume the chair in 2013, 2014. India will be the chair for the next two years so we're looking very much forward to working closely with India.
But the Indian Ocean rim and our relationship with the countries of the Indian Ocean is very important. I spent a couple of days this week in the Pacific. That of course is a fundamentally important relationship for Australia.
But when I first became Foreign Minister, I made the point that Australia also needed to look west. So we've enhanced our relationship with India. We've enhanced our relationship with the states of the Indian Ocean and assuming the vice-chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation is a very important part of that that process. So we look very much forward to working closely in that leadership role.
QUESTION: How important do you think that relationship with India is going to be in the future?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well India is one of our most important relationships. We have worked very hard over the last three years to bring India into the front rank of our bilateral relationships and last year the designation of our relationship assumed that of a Strategic Partnership. So we've worked very hard over the last three years to enhance that relationship. We're very pleased with the progress.
In a few years, India will become in our top four trading partners so it's very important to us economically. India is a rising power, the world's largest democracy and we need to ensure that we have a first class relationship with them.
QUESTION: Thank you.
STEPHEN SMITH: Okay. Thanks.
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