Transcript of Interview with Joe O'Brien

Subject: Unrest in Egypt

Transcript, E&OE, proof only

30 January 2011

NEWSREADER: The Federal Government is asking Australians not to travel to Egypt unless it is absolutely necessary to do so. And that warning may soon be upgraded to, Do not travel. A short time ago I asked the Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd, if any Australians have been caught up in the violence?

KEVIN RUDD: Based on the most recent information we have, no. But we remain deeply concerned about the state of political turmoil and instability. Not just on the streets of Cairo but in other major cities in Egypt as well. Therefore, again, we repeat what I said earlier today and yesterday, all Australians considering travelling to Egypt should look very carefully at the Department of Foreign Affairs travel warning on the department's website, and reconsider their need for travel.

Furthermore, I would say, we in the Department of Foreign Affairs and the government more broadly are now examining carefully the possibility of further upgrading that travel warning as well, depending on developments in the immediate period ahead.

NEWSREADER: Do you know if any Australians are trying to get out at the moment, and cannot?

KEVIN RUDD: We do not have that information to hand. What I do know is the embassy in Cairo has been actively contacting registered Australians - of whom there are more than 800 in Egypt - and on top of that contacting the major tourist hotels where Australians travelling to Egypt would normally be accommodated in the city, and elsewhere as well. This is a difficult task.

Also, because mobile telephone communications have been disrupted from time to time, that has been not an entirely reliable way of getting through to people. On top of that can I just tell your viewers this - that we in the government have also dispatched further consular officials to Cairo to reinforce the embassy there, to deal with any further consular needs from Australians now in Egypt who are affected by this political crisis.

NEWSREADER: Our correspondent has just told us it is getting more dangerous and lawless on the streets of Cairo, with police nowhere to be seen now, and reports of vigilante groups running around. Is it getting to the stage where the advice should be people not travel to Egypt?

KEVIN RUDD: Well, as I said, we are now in the process of examining again the case for a further upgrade in that advice. And we in the Australian government have a through process for doing this, based on obviously reports directly from our mission in Cairo - which is in the middle of intelligence agencies as well.

As soon as any upgrade is deemed to be necessary by those authorities it will be made, but I would strongly urge all Australians considering travelling to read carefully the advice as it stands.

NEWSREADER: The DFAT advice also mentions the threat of terrorists possibly taking advantage of this unrest, and launching attacks, can you tell us more about that?

KEVIN RUDD: No, we do not comment on the nature of intelligence advice that we receive. But we seek to make our travel advisories directly relevant and consistent with the material that we have at hand. These matters are not put into the travel advisory lightly; they are put there for a specific purpose. Basically, on the streets at present, in Cairo, it is a dangerous place to be.

If people watching in Australia are in contact with their loved ones or family in Cairo they should be urged not to go anywhere near the streets at all. Out of curiosity or whatever. This is a very dangerous environment.

NEWSREADER: Now the US has had a close relationship with Hosni Mubarak over the years. Taking into account what is happening now, is that a relationship which should have been pursued?

KEVIN RUDD: Well, there have been enormous challenges and pressures and opportunities across the Middle East over the last 30 years, since Hosni Mubarak first came to power after the assassination of Anwar Sadat. But the bottom line is this, we now face the long overdue manifestation of democratic sentiment across Egypt, and earlier, obviously, in Tunisia.

We in Australia have long called for the democratic transformation of the region, greater recognition of people's rights, and, furthermore, right now we would call upon the government of Egypt to exercise all restraint in dealing with peaceful protesters, and to allow people to exercise fully their opportunity to freedom of speech in a peaceful manner.

NEWSREADER: But is that association that the West has had with Mubarak over the years now going to work to the detriment of the West?

KEVIN RUDD: Look, I think the bottom line is this, if this process of democratic transformation within Egypt continues this is a matter internally for the people of Egypt and the political parties which form part of the body politic of that country. How it, in the future, shapes its foreign relations with other countries - the United States, Europe, Australia - will depend entirely upon what other democratic form of government emerges in Egypt, if, in fact, that occurs.

We are in a period, however, of intense turmoil and crisis right now, and as I said before our first and foremost responsibility has been the wellbeing of Australian citizens in Egypt at present.

NEWSREADER: Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd, speaking there from Davos just a short time ago.

ENDS

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