24 June 207
E&OE....................................................
PRIME MINISTER:
.... (tape begins) some more common ground reached. Australia does believe it has a particular problem which is different from other countries, and we're anxious to explain our position, but equally we're anxious to pull our weight and play our part consistent with our particular circumstances.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Cook who was critical of Australia yesterday, I wonder if he still holds that view or whether you talked him around?
MR COOK:
Well first of all the dialogue is one between two countries that are friends. We've very good relations with Australia, we've got excellent bilateral relations and our trade with Australia is increasing faster than with most other countries. We've got a good relationship and we want to keep it that way. Within that good relationship obviously there is room for frank talking between friends. Now the Prime Minister has put to me that we should have a dialogue between our officials, we welcome that dialogue, it will help us to develop the understanding of both views. Maybe we can get somewhere before Kyoto.
JOURNALIST:
Was there any global warming during the discussions?
MR COOK:
No it was very civilised .......
PRIME MINISTER:
It was a very very warm discussion in the positive sense of the word Laurie. Not in the emitting sense.
MR COOK
Warm discussion, cool ....... (inaudible)
JOURNALIST:
One of the Prime Minister's points is that the EU has diffentiation, how do you explain your stance on Australia that there is differentiation within the EU?
MR COOK:
Well, the differentiation within the European Union is one which leaves Britain in a very advanced position. We are offering to cut our emissions by up to a fifth by 2010, that's actually higher than the average 15 per cent the European Union is offering. And the other parts.......that I think we've all got to bear in mind is that if there's going to be differentiation, some people are going to be above average and others below average.
ends