Subjects: East Timor; President Bush';s State of the Union speech; asylum seekers.
E&OE...........
JOURNALIST:
Asking for the United Nations, you asked them not to skimp [inaudible]. [inaudible] specific on what [inaudible] require….
PRIME MINISTER:
I can';t put a figure on it. That';s a matter for the administration until the 18th of May and then of course for the new administration. I was just making a generic comment. I don';t have a figure in mind. The United Nations has done an outstanding job in East Timor. It';s been one of the great success stories of the Security Council. They acted very quickly. We got a very broad mandate. Australia is very proud of the role it played, the leadership it took which was no doubt integral to the success of the United Nations operation. We';ve had an outstanding United Nations Administrator. Therefore it';s important having done it so well to date to make certain that through want of adequate resources there';s not a complete follow through. That';s my point.
JOURNALIST:
A withdrawal of that support may threaten the stability and democratic viability of East Timor, is that basically your message to the United Nations and the international community?
PRIME MINISTER:
No. My message to the Untied Nations is we';ve made a tremendous amount of progress. Let';s continue the appropriate level of support so that the victory is consolidated if I can put it like that.
JOURNALIST:
[inaudible] other countries may not be [inaudible] of further resources.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I haven';t quizzed individual countries. But there';s always a lot of competition for resources for United Nations activities. We have a very particular interest in this area and we accept a very heavy responsibility. I mean I have said repeatedly to the Australian people that we have an ongoing responsibility to East Timor and I';m happy to argue in the years ahead that Australia should continue to shoulder a very heavy part of the burden. But of course we can';t and won';t be able to do it on our own. That';s the point I';m really making. But I';m hopeful that other countries will make a contribution. Japan has made a very significant financial contribution and I don';t want by my remarks to be suggesting that other countries have been unwilling.
JOURNALIST:
Do you think your country could have handled better the situation with the Afghan asylum seekers who went on hunger strikes?
PRIME MINISTER:
No I don';t. I think the stance that my Government has taken has been correct. I will have the opportunity of meeting the new leader of the interim government in Kabul in a few moments. That subject will no doubt come up but what Australia has done has been completely in accordance with international law. I take the opportunity in this United Nations'; building of reminding Australia';s critics that we are one of the few countries in the world that maintains a refugee program, one of the very few that maintains it, and our record in relation to providing humanitarian relief to refugees compares very favourably with the records of other countries.
JOURNALIST:
Have you received any criticisms from other United Nations members during your visit to New York?
PRIME MINISTER:
This is in fact the first person, the lady who just raised it is the first person who';s raised the matter with me. I';ve not had any queries raised by people in governments or organisations. But I don';t mind if queries are raised. I am more than ready to respond to them and I don';t retreat for a moment from the position that Australia has taken.
JOURNALIST:
How do you feel about Rupert Murdoch cancelling his meeting with you this week?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don';t mind.
JOURNALIST:
What';s your response to President Bush';s address last night, in particular his reference his reference to the, if you like, the new threat of terrorism and he referred to several nations including North Korea? Do you haven any response to his remarks and the role that Australia might play in terms of any future action?
PRIME MINISTER:
Any response? I thought it was an excellent address. I saw large parts of a replay. I didn';t see it live accept for the last third of it. I thought it was an excellent address. I think he was right to make the point that the campaign against terrorism doesn';t end with a successful operation in Afghanistan. As to the question of a further Australian involvement then that would be a matter that would be looked at by Australia in a positive way, but not by way of a blank cheque approach, on a case by case basis. We are close allies of the United States in the campaign against terrorism. But obviously the military commitment we made in relation to Afghanistan was in relation to Afghanistan. If there are any further requests in relation to other parts of the world well they are requests that we will look at in the context of the circumstances.
JOURNALIST:
Do you share President Bush';s concern with the regimes and prospective action from Iran, Iraq, North Korea.
PRIME MINISTER:
What was your question again?
JOURNALIST:
Do you share President Bush';s concern about Iran, Iraq and Korea, the three countries that he specified as being of concern to the United States?
PRIME MINISTER:
I understand exactly what he was saying. Thank you.
[ends]