Press Conference
Topics: expulsion of Australia's Acting High Commissioner to Fiji, officials' discussions in East Timor
Transcript, E&OE
Perth
12 July 2010
STEPHEN SMITH: Okay, well thanks very much for turning up. I know it's quite late, so I'll be brief. But there are two items that I need to attend to.
Firstly, on Fiji, can I advise that this afternoon, the Secretary of the Fijian Ministry for Foreign Affairs advised Australia's Acting High Commissioner in Fiji, Sarah Roberts, that tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, she would be served with a formal notice advising that she had been declared persona non grata by the Fijian interim government and be required to leave Fiji within 24 hours.
This, of course, follows on from the expulsion from Fiji of our High Commissioner in November last year.
Can I say, firstly, how disappointed I am that the Fijian interim government, led by Commodore Bainimarama, has taken such a step. It is unjustified and unjustifiable, and it is deeply disappointing.
Australia, of course, has a reasonably large mission, or High Commission, in Fiji, some half dozen Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officers and officers from other agencies.
Can I indicate, advisedly, that I do not propose to respond by requiring the removal of Fiji's only official in Canberra at Fiji's High Commission. If I responded in kind, that would see Fiji unrepresented in Australia, and would effectively see the end of our formal diplomatic contact. I do not want that to occur.
And so, whilst I am deeply disappointed, whilst such a decision comes as a surprise and is most regrettable, I'm not proposing to respond in kind. I don't want to see the end of formal diplomatic representation and relations between Australia and Fiji.
The reasons expressed for the expulsion of our Acting High Commissioner are linked to, and this was the advice by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Fiji to our Acting High Commissioner, the reasons are linked to the postponement of the so-called Melanesian Spearhead Group Summit Meeting proposed for the end of July.
The Melanesian Spearhead Group is, of course, a regional grouping, which includes amongst its members Vanuatu, which currently chairs the Melanesian Spearhead Group, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Fiji, and, of course, Vanuatu.
The Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Prime Minister Natapei, announced effectively overnight that he had decided to defer the Melanesian Spearhead Group Leaders Meeting proposed for July as a result of concerns arising from the proposed chairing of the Melanesian Spearhead Group by Fiji.
Vanuatu currently chairs the Melanesian Spearhead Group and Fiji is, in order of rotation, the next chair.
Commodore Bainimarama has been proposing that, in addition to the Melanesian Spearhead Group Meeting in Fiji in July, that a so-called Melanesian Spearhead Group Plus Meeting should also occur, inviting representatives from other parts of the Pacific, other parts of the region and internationally.
Australia has been making representations that such a proposed meeting, a so-called Melanesian Spearhead Group Plus Meeting, would be inappropriate, because it would undermine the Pacific Island Leaders Forum as the premier forum for nations in the Pacific. The leaders of the Pacific Island Forum are, of course, scheduled to meet in Vanuatu in early August.
And so, Australia has been making representations that it was inappropriate for such a meeting to occur. Whether, of course, the Melanesian Spearhead Group meets or not is a matter for the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
So that was the stated reason. And, as I indicate, that came as a surprise to Australia. Our representations on this matter have been perfectly appropriate, and the proffered reason is both unjustified and unjustifiable.
Can I indicate that I suspect that Commodore Bainimarama has in his mind some other aspects as well. At the recent Ministerial Contact Group Meeting of Foreign Ministers from the Pacific Island Forum in Auckland, I made comments after that meeting which drew attention to the deteriorating situation in Fiji, economically, socially and politically.
In the aftermath of the interim government's decision to restrict the capacity of foreign companies to have media interests in Fiji, I made very robust comments about that as well adversely impacting on, as they do, the Fiji Times and News Limited from Australia. So, I suspect there are other reasons as well.
The most important point I make tonight is — in conjunction with my disappointment, surprise and analysis that Fiji's interim government's expulsion of our Acting High Commissioner is unjustified and unjustifiable — is I am not proposing to respond in kind. I would regard that as, effectively, leading to a breakdown completely of professional diplomatic relations between Australia and Fiji.
We will continue to seek to have a dialogue with Fiji. We will continue to work both through the Pacific Island Forum and bilaterally to effect that. But a point I've made in the past, the dialogue has to be two-way. You can't have a one-way dialogue.
Secondly, can I just comment upon the motion passed in the East Timorese Parliament this afternoon with respect to a regional processing centre in East Timor.
Like Australia, East Timor has a vibrant, diverse and robust Parliament. I'm advised that somewhere around half of the Members of the East Timorese Parliament, which has 65 Members, resolved to call upon the East Timorese Government to not support a regional processing centre in East Timor.
Unlike the Australian Parliament, East Timorese Ministers do not sit in the East Timorese Parliament, so this is a reflection of those Members of the East Timorese Parliament present at the time. It is not the Government's response.
The Government of East Timor's response remains, as it has been over the last few days, both expressed by Prime Minister Gusmao and President Horta that East Timor is in discussions with Australia about the notion of a regional framework for asylum seekers and the notion of a regional processing centre to be based in East Timor.
Australian officials today in Dili engaged in productive discussions with East Timorese officials about this matter. And so, the East Timorese Government's position remains unchanged.
As agreed between East Timorese Foreign Minister Zacarias da Costa and I, I will receive from my officials a report, as will Zacarias da Costa, and he and I will discuss in the next few days the discussion amongst our officials and proceed from there.
So I think it's important not to over-interpret the resolution passed by Members of the East Timorese Parliament assembled today in Dili.
It is not a reflection of the Government of East Timor's position, but I understand entirely the diversity of views in East Timor about this matter.
I'm happy to respond to some of your questions, but given the lateness of the hour, I'll limit that to a few.
QUESTION: Mr Smith, are you saying that the decision by the East Timorese Parliament has no bearing at all on the East Timorese Government's position?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well no, I'm sure the East Timorese Government, as it goes down the process of discussion with Australia, as it comes to make substantive and deliberative decisions, will bear in mind views expressed by East Timorese society, political parties in East Timor.
The point I make is that it's a reflection of the views of the Members of Parliament assembled. It is not a reflection of the views of the East Timorese Government.
I'm sure, as would naturally occur, the East Timorese Government will take the views of political parties and the political process and the Parliament in East Timor into account when it comes to make final decisions. But we are, as President Ramos-Horta and I have indicated publicly, very much at the beginning of the process not at the end of a process.
QUESTION: Tonight's developments can't have assisted with your Government's intention to try and establish…
STEPHEN SMITH: I've made the point that already there have been a wide variety of different views expressed about the notion of a regional processing centre, both in Australia, in East Timor and throughout the region. The key thing, the key point I'd make tonight is that this is not a reflection of the approach, attitude or a decision of the East Timorese Government. I'm sure the East Timorese Government, in due course, will take that resolution into account, as it will take into account political views in East Timor.
QUESTION: Do you think that today's decision increases or decreases the likelihood of the Government, the East Timorese Government, agreeing to a regional processing centre?
STEPHEN SMITH: The point I'm making is it's not a decision of the Government. I'm sure it will…
QUESTION: But do you think that today's developments will increase or decrease the likelihood of what the Government will arrive…
STEPHEN SMITH: I'm sure just as the Australian Government takes into account the diversity of views expressed, so the East Timorese Government will take into account the diversity of views expressed in East Timor about this matter.
We are very much at the beginning of a process, not at the end of a process. I'm sure it will be one factor which the East Timorese Government will take into account.
QUESTION: But you don't make any assessment on whether it's increasing or decreasing the…
STEPHEN SMITH: The assessment I make is it's not a view or decision or expression of the view of the East Timorese Government. We know, and I've made this point previously, there have been a variety of views expressed about this matter both in East Timor, in Australia, and generally throughout the region.
The Australian Government's position and the East Timorese Government's position has not altered, which is we are in discussions about progressing this matter. Our officials had good discussions in Dili today. And in the next few days I'll receive a report from them about those discussions, and Zacarias da Costa and I will then discuss how we further progress these discussions and the issue.
QUESTION: Moving onto Fiji, are any other countries also — I believe New Zealand last time… [indistinct]?
STEPHEN SMITH: In November last year New Zealand's High Commissioner was also expelled. Because of that linkage and because of the close working relationship that Australia has with New Zealand, I've spoken to New Zealand's Foreign Minister, Murray McCully. I've indicated to him my surprise and my disappointment and my analysis that it is both unjustified and justifiable.
Mr McCully will, of course, speak for himself and New Zealand, but he did indicate to me that he was very happy for me to indicate publicly in Australia that he shares Australia's analysis; he shares my analysis, he shares the view that this is disappointing, surprising and a regrettable backwards step. And I've also given Mr McCully the courtesy of letting him know that I'm not proposing to respond in kind by requiring Fiji's one remaining official to leave Australia.
QUESTION: So we don't know if any other foreign officials of other countries…
STEPHEN SMITH: Certainly so far as New Zealand is concerned, Mr McCully was proceeding on the basis of the status quo for New Zealand.
On this occasion, unlike November last year, this has singled out Australia rather than treating Australia and New Zealand as one. And the proffered reason by Fiji Ministry for Foreign Affairs officials has been Australia's representations that it was inappropriate for the Melanesian Spearhead Group to meet in the so-called Melanesian Spearhead Group Plus arrangement, which was essentially an invitation to other countries to engage in a summit or a dialogue with the Melanesian Spearhead Group chaired by Fiji.
We made it quite clear to Fiji and to other Pacific Island Forum nations and to other countries that we regarded this as being inappropriate, and that's the proffered reason from Fiji for the expulsion.
QUESTION: Was Sarah Roberts involved in those discussions amongst the…
STEPHEN SMITH: Well she's the Australian Acting High Commissioner. In accordance with the Government's wishes, she made representations to other diplomats in Fiji about Australia's view. And her acting in accordance with the Government's wishes on this matter, I suspect, has been the reason why she herself has been singled out.
QUESTION: So now the Deputy High Commissioner becomes…
STEPHEN SMITH: I'll deal with those matters in an orderly way. Because of the advice this afternoon, because of the significance and importance, because of the potential for further deleterious impacts in the relationship between Australia and Fiji, I wanted to let the matter be known publicly.
I would, of course, in an ideal world, want Fiji and the interim government to reconsider such a step, but given the robustness of their representations today to our Acting High Commissioner I'm not holding out any hope for that.
I simply make the point I'm disappointed. It's a backwards step. It's both unjustified and unjustifiable, but I'm not proposing to respond in kind, because I don't want to effectively end any diplomatic contact between Australia and Fiji.
QUESTION: About what I said quickly, do you accept that today's [indistinct] set back, or do you not feel…
STEPHEN SMITH: No, I just make the point this is a Parliamentary resolution which should not be over-interpreted. Unlike the Australian Parliament, Ministers don't sit in the East Timorese Parliament. So as a consequence, it's a reflection of the attitude of the Members of Parliament assembled at the time. It's not a reflection of the approach or the view of the Government of East Timor.
We have made it clear that we believe a regional processing centre, under a regional framework, would be a positive contribution to preventing people smuggling, to stopping people getting on boats and seeking to cross the high seas. And as a result of conversations with President Ramos-Horta and his conversations with Prime Minister Gusmao, we're now in discussion with East Timor about progressing that. That will continue.
And the point I've made, the point that Minister Evans has made, the point the Prime Minister has made, is we're trying to see if we can effect a long-term sustainable better arrangement for the handling of people smugglers and human trafficking in our region, in our area. And this is not a proposal which was ever going to be effected overnight, in a day, or in a week. We're at the very early stage, or start of the process.
Commonsense will tell you that the East Timorese Government would take into account the variety of political views expressed in East Timor. It will do that, no doubt, at an appropriate time. But we are at the very early stage of discussions between Australia and East Timor, as we are at an early stage of discussions between Australia and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and also the International Organisation for Migration, which is the other international organisation which deals with refugee matters in our region.
Okay, thanks for coming. Thanks very much, cheers.
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