PM Transcripts

* The Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and outgoing Chair in Office of the Commonwealth, and the Honourable Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia and incoming Chair in Office of the Commonwealth, held talks on 25 October 2011 in Perth Australia. The Prime Ministers welcomed the opportunity to exchange views on a range of important international and bilateral issues.
* The Prime Ministers acknowledged the great friendship between Australia and Trinidad and Tobago underpinned by shared membership of the Commonwealth and the UN, newly established links through the Caribbean Community, CARICOM, as well as long-standing ties and mutual respect established through cricket. The two leaders looked forward to further strengthening of bilateral relations.
* Recognising the strength of Trinidad and Tobago's economy and its success in becoming a major regional financial centre, the two leaders welcomed a vibrant and growing bilateral trade and investment relationship. Trinidad and Tobago is currently Australia's largest trading partner in the Caribbean and has attracted significant investment by BHP Billiton. Prime Minister Gillard welcomed the further momentum in relations generated through the opening of Australia's High Commission in Port of Spain and implementation of the Australia-CARICOM Memorandum of Understanding.
* Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar and Prime Minister Gillard welcomed progress by members of the United Nations towards an Arms Trade Treaty and committed to continue to work together to conclude the treaty in 2012. The two leaders recognised that the absence of agreed international standards on trade in conventional arms is a contributing factor to conflict and crime, undermining the peace and development of many countries. The two leaders expressed confidence that their governments' joint cooperation on the January 2011 arms control workshop in Trinidad and Tobago had built further support for the treaty in the region. Both leaders confirmed their support for future collaboration during the upcoming March 2012 CARICOM regional workshop in Trinidad and Tobago.
* Prime Minister Gillard recognised the influential and constructive role Trinidad and Tobago played as Chair in Office of the Commonwealth and as the previous host of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar congratulated Prime Minister Gillard and expressed confidence that CHOGM 2011 would be successful in taking forward issues of concern to the Commonwealth. The Prime Ministers agreed that a commitment to recommendations in the Eminent Persons Group report commissioned in Trinidad and Tobago would be an important legacy for both countries.
* As the past and incoming chairs of the Office of the Commonwealth, the Prime Ministers committed to working together to further strengthen the Commonwealth and to deliver major outcomes on issues such as food security, natural resource management, remittances and climate change. The two leaders considered it important that any such outcomes should meet the needs of small states.
* The two leaders recognised that this is the critical decade for action to tackle climate change. Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar commended Australia's Clean Energy Future package as an important demonstration of how a country can play its full and fair part in the global climate effort while maintaining strong economic growth and providing new opportunities for business. Prime Minister Gillard welcomed Trinidad and Tobago's engagement in the work of the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute to accelerate deployment of technology to reduce carbon pollution. The two leaders agreed on the importance of access to broad and well-functioning international carbon markets in assisting countries to commit to, and achieve, ambitious mitigation objectives.
* The Prime Ministers emphasised the importance of prioritising the poorest and most vulnerable countries for assistance in adapting to the impacts of climate change. In this regard, they affirmed their commitment to ensuring the voice of small island developing states is heard at the UN climate change conference in Durban. The two leaders called on that meeting to take concrete steps toward the new global climate regime by taking forward the Cancun Agreements.
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* The two leaders acknowledged the work of Commonwealth Health Ministers to promote the outcomes of the United Nations High Level Meeting on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and the leading role played by members of the Caribbean Community in driving global momentum and action to address NCDs. The Prime Ministers recognized that governments must continue to emphasise strategies aimed at the individual, the family and the community in order to prevent and control rising rates of NCDs.
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* Prime Minister Gillard updated Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar on discussions leading up to the Cannes G20 Summit in November 2011 and leaders agreed on the importance of ensuring that Commonwealth countries have their voices heard by G20 leaders.
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* Prime Minister Gillard applauded Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar's tireless advocacy of women's empowerment and political participation. The Prime Ministers agreed to work together to encourage all leaders yet to do so to sign the Joint Statement On Advancing Women's Political Participation at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth. The Prime Ministers committed to promote women in political leadership as an important issue in both the Pacific and Caribbean regions. A visit to Trinidad and Tobago in 2012 by Australia's Global Ambassador for Women and Girls, Ms Penny Williams, will be a welcome opportunity for further cooperation.