PM: Thank you very much. I've just met with the United Nations Secretary General and I thank him very much for his discussion with me today. Our discussion has focussed on circumstances in the Middle East, particularly the circumstances in Libya. We share a deep concern as to what is happening in Libya and a deep concern about the continuing violence.
We discussed Australia's support for humanitarian efforts to assist those who have fled to the borders because of the situation in Libya. We also discussed the work happening within the United Nations, the work so far undertaken by the Security Council and then continuing discussions about further action and Australia welcomes the fact that Security Council members are engaged in further informal discussions at this stage and considering further action.
We also welcome the fact that there is contingency planning occurring for potential further action on Libya. I had to opportunity too to talk to the United Nations Secretary General on two areas of key concern to Australia and where we are substantial contributors.
First, in Afghanistan, where Australia is the largest non-NATO contributor of troops and where we are pursuing the mission in Afghanistan, most particularly in Oruzgan province. We discussed the prospects for transition in Afghanistan and particularly the work the United Nations is undertaking on development and governance assistance in Afghanistan.
Second, we discussed East Timor. Australia is a key contributor there, we work under a United Nations mandate and the Secretary General and I discussed the prospects for what would occur beyond the end point of that mandate in 2012.
Of course as a very near neighbour, Australia has a deep relationship with East Timor which will continue, but we did discuss particularly what would occur after the 2012 United Nations mandate period.
It's been a good opportunity for me to be here, discussing issues of concern with the Secretary General. I took the opportunity to congratulate him on the work he has personally led for women in the United Nations. This week of all weeks, when we have celebrated International Women's Day, it was the right time to congratulate the Secretary General on his leadership of work for women in the United Nations.
I also discussed with him and congratulated him on the work he is leading about sustainability. This is work where our Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd, makes a contribution on the expert panel and we discussed this sustainability work which has been well lead by the United Nations Secretary General. It's been a great opportunity to have these discussions and I thank him for making himself available for the discussions today.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, did you inform Secretary Moon of our official position on Libya on the no fly zone not happening without the express position of the Security Council and did you use the opportunity to also further our bid to become a temporary member of the Security Council?
PM: I certainly raised with the Secretary General that Australia, as part of our continuing and deep commitment to the United Nations, has put its name forward for consideration for the Security Council.
On Libya, the question of a no fly zone is of course a question for the Security Council and its determination, rather than the determination of the Secretary General and so the Australian position on that is we understand contingency planning is underway. We understand a range of options are on the table, including a no fly zone. We understand that members of the Security Council have commenced discussions with each other about further action, including potentially a no fly zone and we welcome the fact that those discussions are underway.
The Security Council has of course already acted with sanctions against Libya. We as a nation acted with autonomous sanctions and welcomed the sanctions that flowed from those Security Council discussions.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, did you actually tell the Secretary General that Australia's position, or preferred position at least, was for imposition of a no fly zone?
PM: The Secretary General, when we discussed Libya, made it very clear that issues like a no fly zone were for the Security Council to consider and for the Security Council to speak on. So the Australian position is as I've just outlined it.
JOURNALIST: Just on that, you said your position was understanding various scenarios, I don't think that is a position, a position has been presented by Kevin Rudd and that is his preference for a no fly zone. Is that your position too?
PM: What Foreign Minister Rudd has said is that he's deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation in Libya. Of course, I am deeply concerned about that deteriorating situation, no one wants to see the kind of violence that we're seeing in Libya continue.
What Foreign Minister Rudd has also said is that he welcomes the fact that the Security Council and members of it are discussing a range of options, including the no fly zone.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, what's your view of the proposal for a naval blockade that might not require endorsement by the UN, might that be sufficient?
PM: Our position is the United Nations Security Council to date has spoken for the world when it's come to Libya. We were pleased that the Security Council moved quickly to put sanctions in place, we had already autonomously imposed our own sanctions, but we believe the Security Council spoke for the world and acted for the world, putting those sanctions in place and our view is that further measures should be considered by the Security Council.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, is the no fly zone that you and the Foreign Minister and the Secretary General are discussing a declaratory no fly zone, or a no fly zone in the sense described by US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates, when he said you have to go in, take out their defences and thousands could potentially die?
PM: I'm not a military planner, but my understanding of course is that if one is to impose a no fly zone that does mean that you need to consider circumstances like airfields and potentials for surface-to-air missiles and all of those matters that would come into military planning and logistics.
JOURNALIST: Could I venture, is that potentially the difference between what your interpretation definition of this no fly zone is, which is the US definition and the definition that Kevin Rudd might be using?
PM: Look, there's no difference between me and Foreign Minster Rudd on what is needed to achieve a no fly zone effectively, that is a question for military planners and for people expert in these enforcement matters.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, no fly zones are very expensive. Has Australia volunteered any weapons, monies, forces toward any prospective no fly zone?
PM: We are a long way from Libya and what we've said is that in the first instance NATO would need to work through this question of the no fly zone and the Security Council would need to authorise any further action involving Libya, including potentially a no fly zone.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, on a non Libya question, there was a joint Australian-Sri Lankan citizen who is the Sri Lankan Ambassador here at the UN, Palitha Kohona. There's been a case filed with the ICC, namely because Australia is an ICC member. I wanted to know for his role in the bloodshed at the end of the conflict in Sri Lanka, are you aware of that case, what do you think of it and what do you think of the UN's dealing with that final stage of the conflict?
There's been an investigation, but with no conclusion, no visit to the island. What can you say on that?
PM: I'm not personally aware of all of the details of that case. We are a supporter of the ICC. We are a supporter of proper legal processes and practices and one of the rules that come with proper legal processes and practices is that political leaders shouldn't make commentary about legal matters when they're underway.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, did you discuss the issue of a processing centre in East Timor?
PM: No, we did not.
JOURNALIST: Or your regional strategy for refugees?
PM: No, our discussion about East Timor was specifically in the context of the UN mandate, which is timed to come to an end currently in 2012 and consequently what role the United Nations Secretary General saw the UN playing beyond that time. So the discussions were specifically in that context.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, what is your favoured option for dealing with Libya? You've spoken of a range of options other than a no fly zone, where would you like to see it?
PM: I think it's appropriate for the Security Council to consider a full range of options, I don't believe that range of options should be narrowed.
JOURNALIST: (inaudible) will happen within days, the next action?
PM: I think everyone is seized of the urgency of this situation and the fact that it's deteriorating and causing a lot of harm and a lot of bloodshed and a lot of loss of life.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, at the Congress today were you moved by the reaction that was evident among some of the Congressmen who were there listening to your speech today?
PM: On Congress today, I always viewed giving that speech at Congress as an honour for Australia, an honour for Australia to celebrate sixty years of our alliance. I was very moved and very overjoyed to see the reaction but I think the emotion in the room was about the bonds between our two countries.
JOURNALIST: Was that a little dust in your eye at one point?
PM: A little?
JOURNALIST: Dust in your eye?
PM: It was some emotion showing. I think the bonds between our two countries are deep, we feel them deeply. I feel them deeply and it was a big occasion today for Australia. Thank you very much.