PRIME MINISTER HARPER:
And again ladies and gentlemen we've...just begin by saying I want to thank Prime Minister Howard for his visit, for the lovely evening we spent last night, Laureen and myself, with Janette and the Prime Minister, and also for the wonderful Australian hat which I received as a gift and which I may well wear at the stampede next year - there's been some comment I should wear different headgear at the stampede.
Ladies and gentlemen we have just concluded a very successful meeting, the first of its kind in 20 years. Our bilateral relationship is largely free of irritants and given our similar histories, values and interests, it only makes sense that our two countries work together. Prime Minister Howard and I have agreed to encourage and support collaboration between government ministers, parliamentarians, senior officials and academic institutions from both our countries. We've also discussed international issues, including our participation in Afghanistan, issues around international security, energy and environment and the Asia Pacific Region - an area that is of interest to both of us and that Australia knows quite well. We both look forward to even closer and more cooperative relations in the future.
PRIME MINISTER HOWARD:
Well thank you very much Prime Minister. Can I say for myself, my wife Janette and all the travelling Australian party, how very grateful we are for the very warm reception that we have received. I said during my address to the joint sitting yesterday that Australia and Canada are two countries that have a lot in common, but have not had as much to do with each other, particularly in recent years as should've been the case. And I have a real sense that this meeting represents a new start in contemporary relations between Australia and Canada. There are a number of the issues that we have discussed, provide great opportunities for closer collaboration and cooperation. Apart from further deepening our security relationship - it's always been close but I think we can make it even closer - I welcome very much what the Prime Minister told me about his interest in Canada being more closely associated with the Asia Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Energy, and also as countries which between them have some 43 percent of the worlds uranium reserves and 52 percent of the worlds uranium production, we follow very closely the American led initiative for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership - which is designed as a counter-proliferation strategy but obviously has implications for countries like Canada and Australia - both of which are rich in uranium reserves and I think the two countries can work together in partnership to make sure that we not only follow the development of that initiative, but also ensure that the initiative does not work in a way that in any way affects our own interests or the legitimate exploitation of our uranium reserves.
I've already indicated for the Australian context that I have a very open mind on the development of nuclear energy in my own country, and that includes an open mind on whether or not Australia should in fact process uranium for the purposes of providing fuel for nuclear power in the future in Australia - if that becomes desirable.
Just finally by way of introductory remarks, I endorse very much what the Prime Minister has said about the warmth of the relationship. I congratulate him, in person, in presence, in the presence of the Canadian media on his election victory. It was obviously something that I followed closely and I admire very much the start he's made. It's not easy when you're a minority government, it's very difficult when you're a majority government, but it's even more difficult when you're a minority government and I think he's made a magnificent start and I am really very appreciative of the hospitality and courtesies he's extended to me. It is an old relationship, it's a rich relationship, and one that I think both of us can make even better in the years ahead.
JOURNALIST:
To both Prime Ministers on the nuclear issue; what practical steps have you agreed to do to advance each country's nuclear agenda? Is there merit perhaps in the idea of some sort of uranium producers group? And to Prime Minister Harper, what's your view of exporting uranium to a country that hasn't signed the NPT, like India?
PRIME MINISTER HARPER:
Well I'll begin, in terms of our government, we, I can say haven't established really our policy for nuclear energy - although as you know Canada has atomic energy, Canada Limited. So we do have interests in nuclear energy and I believe nuclear energy is going to be apart of the mix, an important part of the mix as we deal with energy and environmental challenges in the next century. In terms of the... well there's a couple of things in your question I could address.
First of all in terms of the arrangement with India, we're obviously as a country looking carefully at what the Americans are proposing, we're somewhat cautious because we had some difficulty with India's use of (inaudible) technology some years ago, so it's an issue we're looking at with some degree of caution, but we do understand the importance of making progress in terms of India's adherence to non-proliferation and they have agreed to take some additional steps there. So they it's an issue where we're working through with the international community.
In terms of the... I think you also made some allusion in your question to American proposals on, I think they're calling it GNEP. Australia and Canada as the Prime Minister said, Australia and Canada as the two major uranium producers in the world, have considerable interest in whatever the United States and the international community have in mind in terms of future uranium development, production and marketing. And we've agreed that we're going to collaborate very closely together to make sure Australian and Canadian interests are closely protected while the Americans and others discuss the future of that industry.
PRIME MINISTER HOWARD:
In relation to the GNEP, Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, I don't know that I have a lot to add to what Mr Harper has said and what I said earlier. We have agreed that our officials will get together to further discuss this issue. We have a common situation and some common interests, but we don't approach this American inspired proposal with antagonism, we approach it with interest. As to whether our discussions and our approach leads to something of the type you have talked about, is a matter that I have an open mind about, but it's too early to say that we're definitely going to form such an arrangement.
But we're in a very similar position and speaking once again for Australia, the scene on nuclear energy is going to change significantly in our country. The pressure for change is driven in part by environmental considerations, it's driven in part by the soaring price of fuel, it's driven in part by a realisation that confronting the challenge of high energy pricing is one of the big economic challenges of nations such as Canada and Australia. And I want a full blooded debate in Australia about this issue and I want all of the options on the table.
JOURNALIST:
Sir, if I could ask you on Afghanistan, you'd be aware Australia is sending a reconstruction unit over there; we've got a significant number of non-combat troops. Given the awful casualties of the last week or so, including the tragedy for your own country, how secure do you think such an operation would be? Is it too early to begin practical steps towards reconstruction in Afghanistan?
PRIME MINISTER HARPER:
No it's not too early, in fact Canada, besides our military engagement in Afghanistan, is also involved in a range of other activities, including reconstruction activities. We're heading the provincial reconstruction team that operates out of Kandahar. We believe that long-term solution to Afghanistan involves both the establishment of security - ultimately by the Afghan government itself - but also economic and social reconstruction and development. We believe these two things have to proceed in parallel. There're obviously risks but our belief is that... our belief is that you know it's important to get results in Afghanistan and that just can't be a military operation. But obviously when we're going to do reconstruction development activities they have to be closely tied at this point in time to military deployment to ensure safety. So we're doing the two hand-in-hand and I obviously were encouraged that Australia and others are doing the same.
And you know we do believe we're making progress, you know we had a terrible... as you know a terrible loss this week of Captain Goddard, the first female combat casualty in our history; brave woman who I understand was engaged in really historic, heroic work when she sustained her fatal wounds. But these things go hand-in-hand and it's all part of taking a country that was run by, probably one of the most evil regimes in the world, and turning it in to a modern democratic society.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard a question to you, perhaps a comment from your colleague. In one of his Australian newspapers today Rupert Murdoch is going to be quoted saying that he didn't mean to say you were too old for the job and should get out, in fact you're doing a terrific job while you're there and good on you. How do you accept that...those comments from Mr Murdoch? And Sir, perhaps you might fill us in on your idea of how much energy you reckon Mr Howard might have left in him?
PRIME MINISTER HOWARD:
Well Mr Farr I didn't comment on Mr Murdoch's first comment and I don't intend to comment on his second comment.
PRIME MINISTER HARPER:
Well I, if I went by what newspaper men said about me I never would have tried to get this job. I can only say this; Prime Minister Howard was kind enough not to say that I'm too young for the job. I have watched and admired John Howard politically for sometime and my observation is he's only just hitting his stride. So I would encourage him to keep going and explain to me, not just how he wins four majority governments, but how you can win one majority government, that would be my objective.
(QUESTION IN FRENCH)
PRIME MINISTER HARPER:
The same thing in English; you asked whether we would... we've extended our military mission for two years, would be increasing the size of that mission, I believe was the question. We anticipate having pretty much the same engagement that we've had recently in Afghanistan, should range between 1800 and 2400 troops there over the next two years. There are some functions we will move in and out of. The one addition is that we're looking at taking command, we would hope to take command at ISAF in February 2008 for a year - that's actually a small additional commitment but obviously an important leadership role.
We have also agreed as part of the motion, part of our request to Parliament, to extend humanitarian aid for at least four years and obviously we'll examine further engagement as we evaluate our success and progress over the next couple of years and particularly look at the transition to a President, after President Karzai, 2009.
(QUESTION IN FRENCH)
PRIME MINISTER HARPER:
I can once again be my own official interpreter here. I was asked whether I had any regrets about our intentions, long-standing intention to abolish the long gun registry in this country. We're very clear on this, we intend to continue to have a hand gun registry, to have a system of permits for gun ownership and to obviously take stronger methods, stronger actions against the criminal use of firearms such as mandatory minimum prison sentences, which are now before the House of Commons. And we believe this is the right mix. We believe the long gun registry, the evidence is absolutely clear, the system is expensive and not effective and it's not the right way to spend dollars to try and... on both gun control and crime control - which is what we really need. And it was pointed out to me that some provinces disagree with our position, provinces have been divided on this from the beginning, but there's this clear federal jurisdiction and I respect provincial jurisdiction but I'm determined to act within federal jurisdiction.
JOURNALIST:
I have a question for both Prime Ministers and a reminder in French and English, and Mr Howard my Aussie colleagues are telling us that you speak impeccable French, so go ahead...
PRIME MINISTER HOWARD:
Never believe an Australian journalist.
PRIME MINISTER HARPER:
I was worried I was going to have to get English translation.
JOURNALIST:
This is a serious question though, in Iran there is a report that they have legislation before the Iranian Parliament to have a dress code with identifiable markings on the clothing for Christians and Jews, and I would like to know what the... both leaders think of this Iranian legislation which earmarked people by race?
PRIME MINISTER HOWARD:
Well I hadn't previously heard of that, but I'm very happy to give you a response. If that is true I would find that totally repugnant. It obviously echoes the most horrible period of genocide in the world's history and the marking of Jewish people, with a mark on their clothing by the Nazi's, and anything of that kind of would totally repugnant to civilised countries - if it's the case - and something that would just further indicate to me the nature of this regime.
It's a calculated insult - if it's true - not only to Christians, but most particularly to Jews, and therefore it has direct connotations for the State of Israel, that it's been the object of hate speeches and speeches of vilification. Now if this is true, and I haven't seen the reports, they must be very recent, or they must have been written in a language I don't understand, but obviously if it is the case then you know my views and you can imagine what the response of other governments will be to such things. It would be appalling.
PRIME MINISTER HARPER:
You know I don't know that I can add all that much. I've only seen the reports. Like Prime Minister Howard I'll couch my answers with the beginning to say if they're true. Unfortunately we've seen enough already from the Iranian regime to suggest that it is very capable of this kind of action. I think it boggles the mind that any regime on the face of the earth would want to do anything that could remind people of Nazi Germany. However you know we've seen a number of things from the Iranian regime that are along these lines and the fact that such a measure could even be contemplated, I think is absolutely abhorrent. And I would hope that, you know as our allies rest with the difficult issues surrounding Iran's apparent desire to attain nuclear capacity, that they will reflect carefully on the nature of a regime that would even contemplate such actions or such thoughts.
JOURNALIST:
Again to both Prime Ministers, have you agreed to... for Canada to join the Asian (inaudible) on climate change and I say this in light of a report just out of Australia today from the Climate Change Institute. It says the Asian (inaudible) effort to produce greenhouse gases will be largely ineffective.
PRIME MINISTER HARPER:
Well my understanding is the Prime Minister can speak better than I can, I think it's really in an initiative that's just begun. But we believe it's the kind of initiative the world needs if we're serious about climate change and controlling greenhouse gases. We clearly have to have an international regime that includes the largest emitters. Today, China, India, the United States and others have either... are either not part of the current Kyoto Protocol or have no targets under the Kyoto Protocol. So you know we in Canada certainly welcome the initiative as a country that's... you know finds itself... a government that finds itself left with 35 per cent behind existing Kyoto targets and with a need to do something. We think it's encouraging; we've talked to the Prime Minister about the possibility of Canada becoming a participant in this.
I know that the Australians and others are looking at really focussing on dealing with this through the application of technology and technological development. This is very much the path our government's looking at. So you know our attitude is we want to engage the international community on any level that's going to get real progress and going to involve everybody. And Australian, Australia the Prime Minister has indicated a desire to see Canada participate - I don't think the Australians can make a decision whether we can join or not unilaterally - but we certainly are encouraged by their sense of welcome to this particular initiative.
PRIME MINISTER HOWARD:
Certainly we would very warmly welcome Canada joining the partnership and I can't speak for the other members, but I would be very surprised if they didn't have the same view. The Prime Minister's put it very well and I indicated yesterday in the Parliament that unless you have the involvement of the major polluters, you are not going to get a serious addressing of the problem. And we don't at the moment have China, and India, and the United States effectively within an international understanding, and therefore the present arrangements are not going to work without their involvement.
And we have through the partnership the involvement for the first time of those three countries - and that's what makes it so tremendously important. I wouldn't take too much notice of that report out of Australia. I mean this is an issue where you have people who are very doctrinal, they're very ideological, they think the only path to environmental salvation is the Kyoto path, and we don't hold that view, and certainly from what I've heard today from what the Prime Minister has said, nor does the Canadian Government and I welcome very much what he's had to say on this issue. I think it's realistic and it's achievable, and we all want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but you've got to marry that with economic progress and economic development.
No country, no advanced country is going to sacrifice significant amounts of economic development and jobs mindlessly or carelessly. And what we have to do obviously is to find ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions that do not cost us economic growth-and we can do that. And I think the partnership is closer to doing that than Kyoto, and that's why we support it.
PRIME MINISTER HOWARD:
Thank you.