Well thank you very much Madam President. I'm delighted to be here on this my seventh visit to Indonesia since becoming Prime Minister of Australia. The major reason for my visit was to personally thank you Madam President and through you the police and other authorities of Indonesia for the truely impressive, professional and effective way in which the investigation into the Bali tragedy has been carried out.
All Australians are grateful for the way in which the police have worked so closely with ours and especially the families of the victims. And it is a wonderful example in the wake of a terrible tragedy of the cooperation that is possible between our two nations. As a gesture and token and also as a memorial to those who died in this tragedy, I've informed the President that we would like to do a number of things to assist the people of Bali in particular because they are very much in the affection and the thoughts of many Australians and most particularly the families of people who died on the 12th of October.
The Australian government will do the following things in that context: we will upgrade the Shanglah Hospital and provide a new intensive care center and emergency care capacity building program; we will construct a Bali memorial community eye treatment centre which will build on the work of a number of Australian doctors who for many years now have worked to help the people of Bali in relation to sight problems; we'll create a Bali memorial medical and health scholarship program which over a period of five years will bring talented people under scholarships from Indonesia to Australia in areas of both general medicine and surgery; we will also of course discuss with the relevant authorities the erection of a memorial plaque at the site of the Sari Club.
During our discussions we talked about Ache and Papua. I reaffirmed the total support of the Australian Government for the indivisibility of the Indonesian Republic as total respect for and support of Indonesian sovereignty over all parts of that country. I indicated of course that in a nation such as Australia citizens of our country are free to speak on issues in any manner they think fit but it is no part of the policy of the Government of Australia to in any way directly or indirectly to support any activities which are designed to undermine the integrity of the Indonesian Republic.
During our discussions on international affairs I explained in detail the basis of the Australian Government's approach to Iraq. We both share the hope that this matter can be resolved peacefully. We both believe in the role of the United Nations. I took the opportunity of explaining Australia's concerns about the spread of chemical, biological, and even nuclear weapons to rogue states, and my real concern that these weapons might find their way into the hands of terrorists. I also took the opportunity of this discussion to say that our attitude and the attitude of other nations for whom I've spoken in recent days is in no way motivated by an anti-Islamic sentiment. Our concern about Iraq is a concern based on Iraq's behaviour as an individual nation and those who seek to depict our approach as being in any way anti-Islamic are not telling the truth and they are deliberately trying to promote discord between the great religions of the world and also discord between countries that have friendly relations.
And finally I took the opportunity of thanking the President for the cooperation extended by Indonesia to Australia in the area of people smuggling particularly over the last year. That cooperation has been very welcomed, it's been very effective, and I also note the very useful nature of the anti-terrorism memorandum signed a year ago which will be continued, and the ongoing responsibility and challenge of that issue to both of our countries. And finally Madam, can I just say again how good it has been to be your guest again and I hope that at some time consistent with your very busy schedule you may have the opportunity of visiting Australia.
[Ends]