E&OE...........
JOURNALIST:
After your talks with Mr Stoiber, do you think he';s the right man for the job as Chancellor of Germany?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don';t express views about the domestic politics of another country. It';s always important to meet the opposition as well as the Government when you visit a country but the question of who the next Chancellor should be is entirely a matter for the German people.
JOURNALIST:
Did you discuss his policies as a reformer of the labour market or…[inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
We talked about a whole lot of things. I explained what Australia had done to strengthen her economy over the last 15 to 20 years and we talked about some of the challenges of economic reform in Europe, but the question of what policies he put forward, indeed the policies that Chancellor Schroeder put forward are entirely a matter for the two gentlemen and it is not for me to make comments about domestic politics in Germany.
JOURNALIST:
Was he at all curious about Australia';s asylum seeker policy?
PRIME MINISTER:
We talked about that issue. I don';t think he was curious. He understood it and it wasn';t an issue of any discord between us. Obviously Europe is strengthening its cause in relation to immigration.
JOURNALIST:
What about trade reform? Did you get any impression of how he would treat that issue?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I took the opportunity of putting the Australian case very strongly but I think there is a sense that agricultural reform is difficult but there is also a sense amongst many I speak to that some change in time will come about. But the European Union does move slowly in relation to these things. I expect the main focus of what I wish to say on the subject will be in Brussels when I meet the members of the Commission but I certainly have taken the opportunity in everybody I';ve spoken to in both sides of politics here in Germany in putting the Australian case very strongly.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister you have had a pretty close hand look at the Eurocopter this morning. Do you ever… how do you envisage that being used in Australia once it is delivered? Do you envisage it being used in border protection?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, that never entered my head. I mean the question of how it is used is really a matter for the military. We have made a judgement that it is a very good helicopter. It is very mobile and because of its weight it';s very good in relation to landing on vessels but I haven';t thought of it in those terms. It';s an attack helicopter – break it down!
JOURNALIST:
After three days here, what is the key achievement in your mind:?
PRIME MINISTER:
I think the key achievement is that we have established the idea in the minds of the German leadership that we have a relationship, a very important economic and political relationship, with Germany, separate and apart from the European Union. I think it is a mistake to see all our relations with the major countries of the continent through Brussels. We have strong bilateral links with many of them and I see this inaugurating a strengthened pattern of bilateral relationships directly with Germany and not through Brussels.
JOURNALIST:
…to go through Brussels? Why is it a danger?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think it';s a mistake to see you relations with all the countries of the European Union simply in the context of the European Union. I think what we have to do, we will get more out of it if we deal directly with individual countries rather than going through the Union because like all supranational bodies it is slow moving and it';s bureaucratic.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, these claims that Cheryl Kernot and Gareth Evans had a relationship. Should people have been told at the time of her switch to the Labor Party and do people have a right to know?
PRIME MINISTER:
I have absolutely no comment on that matter of any description.
JOURNALIST:
Did it change any perceptions of the reasons behind why she switched sides?
PRIME MINISTER:
I have no comment on that matter of any description.
JOURNALIST:
Just quickly, at home, are you pleased to see there has been no move in interest rates?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I don';t give day-to-day comments on movements in interest rates. I expect the Reserve Bank to run a sensible monetary policy and that sensible monetary policy includes a sensitivity to the sensitivity of the Australian economy to interest rate adjustments.
JOURNALIST:
… your Athens trip and what you hope to achieve there?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I certainly hope to warmly emphasise the very close bilateral relationship. I would hope that we can agree on kick-starting or restarting the negotiations over a social security agreement. That is very important because there are many Australians of Greek heritage who would see progress on that front as important. But we have put quite a good offer on the table and I hope that the Prime Minister and I, that';s the Prime Minister of Greece and I, can kick-start that.
JOURNALIST:
And Olympic procurement, do you have any hopes for that?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we had a bit of trouble on that. We tended to be squeezed out. We think that has all been fixed but I will want to be completely satisfied it has been, but I think it has been.
JOURNALIST:
Would you agree with Mr Crean';s call for both Ms Kernot and Mr Evans to explain the nature of their relationship?
PRIME MINISTER:
I have no comment to make on it of any description.
[ends]