Interview with Jon Faine, ABC 774 Melbourne

Subjects: Korean Peninsula, Australian domestic politics

Transcript, E&OE, proof only

24 November 2010

JON FAINE: North Korea is threatening further military attacks against South Korea. As you hear there's the prospect of war breaking out in the Northern Hemisphere to our north. Kevin Rudd is the Foreign Affairs Minister in the Gillard Government. Kevin Rudd good morning to you. Do you fear the prospect of war in Korea?

KEVIN RUDD: I think it's a sort of day with international relations Jon where it's important for calm heads to prevail and cool heads to prevail. And based on discussions overnight with the Assistant Secretary of State in the United States, the South Korean Foreign Minister, yesterday with the Japanese Foreign Minister, calm heads are at present prevailing.

What we are concerned about however is any further provocative act by the North in what is already a very tense environment.

JON FAINE: Do you accept the scenario developed by some academics that this is a blooding of new rule of the 27-year old Kim Jong-un who's trying to show how tough he is?

KEVIN RUDD: Jon I think anyone who accurately guesses the motivations of the North Korean regime on a given day deserves a medal and million dollar prize. The bottom line is that nobody knows and that's been the case with North Korea for the best part of the last half century.

What we do know is that their acts when you put them together, that is this unprovoked artillery attack on a South Korean island yesterday, this sinking of the South Korean naval vessel in recent months with a loss of nearly 50 lives and on top of that reports about their uranium enrichment program, this series of events are massively destabilising on the peninsula and therefore it's important for all countries to be united in their response. It's also important for China to bring its influence to bear on North Korea.

JON FAINE: Doesn't history teach us that it's pointless trying to be rational with people who aren't rational?

KEVIN RUDD: Well that assumes that a regime such as North Korea within its own - shall we say - unique world, is not pursing its own interest as it sees it. But what we do know is that they do not respond and have not responded effectively to normal international diplomatic discourse.

That's why I'm saying very clearly on your program this morning Jon, it's very important for China to take an increasingly assertive role with North Korea, given the particularly close relationship which China has had with Pyongyang going back to the events of 1950.

JON FAINE: Is this a demonstration of the current failure of the United Nations to be able to resolve conflict of this kind?

KEVIN RUDD: Well if you look at 192 Member States of the United Nations Jon, this regime is right out there. This is right out there as far as outrageous, provocative acts and complete violation to international law. Therefore we can only do that which we can do through the Security Council on the one hand, through sanctions activities on the other and then thirdly as I said, by working with countries who have particular influence on the regime and I go back to the point of the Peoples Republic of China. It's important for calm and cool heads to prevail at this time. Lee Myung-bak, the President of South Korea is a highly experienced measured individual. I believe he'll handle this situation well. But people should be under no illusions as to the extent to which he right now as the head of a democracy is under enormous domestic political pressure given this series of provocative actions by the North in recent months.

JON FAINE: On the cusp of - sorry in state election, Tony Abbott has been on AM on ABC Radio this morning trashing your reputation Kevin Rudd, saying that in the first few years of your government when you were Prime Minister you were worse than the Howard government or any previous government in its first few years.

KEVIN RUDD: How many - what's so surprising about that Jon? For Mr Abbott to say that? He’s been saying that for years. Let me just simply respond in a couple of quick ways.

First point is this; this Australian Government over the last three years has steered Australia through a global financial crisis which practically no other government in the western world did. If we were in any other country in Europe or North America, we would have been through a massive recession with massive levels of unemployment. That did not happen here because we chose to decisively intervene. That's point one.

Point two is Australia now has a seat at the top global economic table, the G20, the top table for global economic decision making. That wasn't the case before.

Number three; we fundamentally helped reshape our regions architecture by getting America back into the region through its membership with the East Asian Summit.

JON FAINE: But despite all that, do you accept...

KEVIN RUDD: Let me just finish on one other point. Four on a domestic matter; we're now in a process of implementing the single biggest reform to the health and hospital system in Australia that the country has seen since Medicare.

JON FAINE: Okay but do you accept that if Brumby loses the State election, does the Rudd legacy in some way get pointed to for blame?

KEVIN RUDD: Jon I know that broadcasting as you are through Melbourne that you'll want a particular story which is relevant to the Victorian State Election. What I know of Victorians and people in New South Wales and Queensland is that they have always voted decisively at State level on State matters. That will be the case in Victoria as it has been in various other State elections around the country in recent times.

JON FAINE: I'm grateful to you for your contribution this morning and we shall look anxiously to our North today to see if it can be in some way diffused and resolved. Thank you for your time.

KEVIN RUDD: Thanks very much Jon.

JON FAINE: Kevin Rudd, Foreign Affairs Minister in the Gillard Government. And declining to take my bait on the Victorian State Election, what a pity.

END

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