Subject: Australian/Israel relations; Maccabiah Games
E&OE ……………………………………………………………………………
PRIME MINISTER BARAK:
Good evening. We are very pleased to have here for Mr Howard with us. We had a long and thorough discussion. About the Middle East peace process, I have updated the Prime Minister about the development, about our intention to put out from Lebanon until July this year. About the efforts we are making to promote and push forward the peace process with the Palestinians and about our very disappointment with what happened on the Syrian track and at the same time our determination to keep even this very narrow opening open as long as the Syrians will hold it open.
We discussed bilateral issues, we expressed our satisfaction with the developing relation and deepening relationship between us and Australia. And we decided to intensify the contacts in order to achieve agreement in the near future on the establishment of joint funds for research and development in the scientific and high tech aspects of the industrial development.
Beyond that I’ve updated the Prime Minister in regard to the tragedy that happened during the Maccabiah Games. That beyond the verdict of the court itself to convict those who were responsible that under my guidance our finance ministry decided that they would be ready to participate by paying one third of the compensations that will be decided in the civilian appeals to the court by eight or nine families of the victims of this disaster. I really believe that it can contribute even if in a modest way to kind of a calm closure to an end of this tragedy will, some deathtoll and the suffering can never be awaived or compensated for.
Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well Prime Minister, ladies and gentlemen I have a greatly valued opportunity of meeting the Prime Minister of Israeli, to be brought up to date with the latest developments in the peace process. Mr Barak gave me a very detailed explanation of the efforts that Israel is making towards bringing about a lasting peace, both in relation to the withdrawal from South Lebanon and also in relation to the Palestinians. I have to say on Australia’s behalf that we very strongly support and congratulate Israel on the efforts that she is making, and the commitment that is being made by the Israeli government, and the belief on the part of the Israeli Government and the people of Israel, that this a great opportunity. As a friend of Israel, but also as a country which recognises the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, and has been a keen supporter of the peace processes in the Middle East I can only warmly welcome the new mood and express the hope that the people of goodwill on both sides, will triumph and I know that the Prime Minister is personally very committed and I greatly value the briefing that you gave me. It reinforced my view and that of the government that there is a genuine desire and there is something special about the moment as far as the opportunities that lie in front of both Israel and the Palestinian people and the people of Lebanon. It is obviously a concern which I understand in relation to Syria’s position and the Prime Minister explained that to me in some detail.
The bi-lateral relationship of course is in a very good condition. I’ve spoken of it already in my time in Israel. I welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to work with my government to establish a joint research and development fund. What we have in mind is one where half the contribution is made by each country and in turn half of that contribution is from the private sector and half from the government and I think we can conclude something very effective in this area in the very near future.
And could I also say that I very warmly welcome what he had to say about the disaster that occurred at the last Maccabiah Games. That has been a cause of concern within the Jewish community within Australia and it’s an issue that their representatives raised with me before I came to Israel and the Prime Minister’s announcement, I know will be welcomed by them and other’s around the world who’ve been affected by this sad occurrence.
Can I just say again that it is a special privilege to be back in Israel this time as Prime Minister. It is the first visit by an Australian Prime Minister to your country in 13 years. Members of the Jewish community in Australia and others were delighted to have your wife, only a few weeks ago as a guest in Sydney, and my wife and your wife Sir had a very pleasant time on that occasion and I know they’ve enjoyed catching up with each other again. But it is a great delight to be back and for me to have the opportunity of conveying to you publicly again the great affection of many millions of Australians for the State of Israel and my own personal pleasure in renewing associations with a country that I’ve long admired.
JOURNALIST:
Two questions, one to each Prime Minister. Our guest Prime Minister Howard. This week we have here the Holocaust Memorial Day, it is the time to ask about your extradition agreement with Lithuania (sic) and about the war criminal Konrad Kalejs, I believe that’s his name, are you going to extradite him to Lithuania and other war criminals?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I can tell you that the negotiations that have been going on in in Riga have, on my advice been satisfactorily concluded, and it will be possible to conclude – subject to the normal formalities – an extradition treaty with Latvia. And the question of what happens after that would be a matter for the processes of the law and it is not for me to make declarations about who should be extradited or who should not, we observe the rule of law as is the case in Israel and the proper processes will be followed. You used the word “welcome” the situation is that the man in question is an Australian citizen and there are rights and responsibilities that flow from Australian citizenship. It’s not a question of whether somebody is welcome or unwelcome, it’s a question of whether somebody has certain rights as a citizen. But, the important thing is that Australia has set about concluding an extradition treaty and things have gone very well on that and I thank the officials in Australia and from Latvia who have very hard. I received advice I think two days ago that agreement had been concluded and it’s now only a matter of formalities.
JOURNALIST:
Karen Middleton from the Western Australian newspaper. I have a question, a couple of questions for both Prime Ministers. The Jewish community in Australia said that it wants the courts here to resolve the liability issue in relation to the Maccabiah Games. The Israeli government should settle all the compensation up-front and recover later from the parties. What are your government’s positions on that and secondly what practical contribution do you think Australia could make to the peace process?
PRIME MINISTER BARAK:
I’m an ex-General, not an ex-lawyer before we became both Prime Minister. So I can not say from a judicial point of view, but you know my wife recently visited Australia and met with the families and with such others, and she brought with her a strong feeling emotionally, on a human basis that we have to act, to help these families and to help the victims and this is what we will basically will try to do. How do you say, ordered, and we announced today that will be go on with those families that have cleared all the appeals, have discussed with the court, and I believe that this basic attitude will be our attitude but I can not say more than that without having the careful scrutiny by our legal adviser on this issue. We realise that there are good Jews that came here for the Maccabiah Games and we came to the victims of a terrible disaster, and of course the insurance companies, the other organisations that dealt with this and kind of ex-officio beyond the real kind of boundaries of legal responsibility. Even the government of Israel who will try to see what can be contributed for it.
In regard to the other question, I believe that Australia has a legacy of helping us here in the region in many ways along the years. To stabilise the area and I believe if any ideas will be raised as of now we don’t know of such a deal, but if a need will be raised I believe that the whole free world community will join hands, including Australia to help this peace process, to put an end.
I use to say to foreign leaders that the most complicated and expensive peace is much more cheaper and simpler in a way than the simplest war.
PRIME MINISTER HOWARD:
On the question of the contribution to peace, there are a number of things that countries like Australia can do. You can obviously at a diplomatic level, continue to encourage and then strongly support initiatives being taken by the principle players for peace and that is what we have regularly done. What I’m doing on this visit to Israel is also emblematic of what we can do. I am of course having discussions with the prime minister of Israel, but I am also going to Gaza as you know tomorrow to see Mr Arafat. And I’ll have an opportunity of saying to him how important the moment is and although Australia is not a direct immediate principle player, we are a very interested country, both in terms of us having within our population a valued, a very valued Jewish community, but also people who have ethnic and other links with Lebanon and the Palestinians.
So we have a very important community stake in bringing about a peaceful settlement. As we do in relation to difficult areas around the world, and I will have an opportunity tomorrow to as best I can to put the view that there is a moment at hand which should be seized.
JOURNALIST:
Bernie Freedman from the Australian Jewish News, double header to Mr Barak, double headers seem to be in vogue. First in war crimes – in your congratulations to Mr Howard on receiving his honorary degree today, you referred to his quote “initiation of war, Nazi war criminals trials legislation unquote. Can you say how you gained this wrong impression, Mr Howard wasn’t in government at the time? Furthermore on this issue, are you happy with Australia’s record in the treatment of war criminals which has led to the impression in Israel as we gather from an earlier question and elsewhere that Australia’s a haven for Nazi war criminals.
The second one is a follow up on Maccabiah. Recently the Australian Maccabiah Association announced it would not be coming to the games. What is your reaction to that?
PRIME MINISTER BARAK:
First of all I am not sure whether what is the quotation you put please, you better give it to me later and I will comment on it.
JOURNALIST:
It appears to in a letter, a replica of a letter from you in the documents prepared for the Bar Ilan University ceremony. And it’s in the last paragraph of that letter.
PRIME MINISTER BARAK:
I believe that the Australian Government, as well as all the governments of the free world will know how to deal with war criminals in appropriate way that selects the commitment of the free world to never to let what happened to be erased from the collective memory of the world and to take whatever steps that are needed to make sure that war criminals will be put to trial. Of course within the limits of the legal system of each respective country.
In regard to the Maccabiah, I hope that we will be able before the next Maccabiah Games to soothe the kind of scars from this tragedy and to see our great and the active and the highly united Jewish community in Australia participating once again overcoming the tragedy in the Maccabiah Games. And I hope that the overall result of what will happen in our courts and our public response will justify this decision by the Australian Jewish community.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, one last question. Indonesia has charged that Australian spy planes have flown into their airspace, what’s your response to that?
PRIME MINISTER HOWARD:
Well, the same as the response that Mr Downer gave on the Channel Nine programme in Sydney earlier today – well known to you.
Thank you.
[ends]