1
MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
STEPHEN SMITH, MP
TRANSCRIPT: INTERVIEW WITH LINDA MOTTRAM, RADIO AUSTRALIA
TRANSCRIPTION: PROOF COPY E & OE
DATE: 13 OCTOBER 2010
LINDA MOTTRAM: Are all the players at the ASEAN-Plus Defence Ministers' Meeting
equally willing to talk about and work on resolutions to challenges?
STEPHEN SMITH: If they weren't they wouldn't be in the room. I think this has been a
deeply significant development. It sees Defence Ministers from the Asia Pacific meeting,
effectively, in the same format as the proposed expanded East Asia Summit, in
other
words, the inclusion of the United States and Russia to the East Asia Summit.
So from Australia's perspective,
we have all of the key players from our region,
from the
Asia Pacific,
in the same room at the same time having a conversation about peace and
stability and security in our region.
But also, importantly, this is a forum where we are expecting to see practical outcomes.
And that's a very good thing. And when you combine Defence Ministers' Meeting in that
format with an expanded East Asia Summit where Prime Ministers and Presidents and
Foreign Ministers also meet, this is singularly, in our view, a very important development
for Australia and a very positive development for the region.
LINDA MOTTRAM: Well, since you've raised that issue, I was going to ask you does that
parallel development of expanding the Defence Ministers' Meeting and the expanded East
Asia Summit actually answer the question that Kevin Rudd raised as Prime Minister,
which is about regional architecture being appropriate for the time?
STEPHEN SMITH: It certainly makes sure that all of the key players are in the same room
at the same time, able to have a conversation both about prosperity, about economic and
trade matters and prosperity in the region, and also about peace, stability and security. So
it's a deeply significant development, in Australia's view.
LINDA MOTTRAM: When you spoke in Hanoi at the meeting, you mentioned unresolved
territorial disputes, and that's clearly the hot headline issue, if you like, in the region
strategically. Of course,
China's territorial claim in the South China Sea is causing
particular regional angst. Do you want to see that issue multilateralised and do you think
that China is willing to do that?
STEPHEN SMITH: Australia's position on territorial disputes, whether they're maritime
disputes or other disputes, but let me deal with maritime disputes, whether they're in our
part of the world or elsewhere, is of longstanding and well known. We would want to see
maritime disputes resolved peacefully and amicably between the parties concerned. It
doesn't necessarily mean there are two parties; sometimes there are more. But where there
is such a dispute, we want to see it resolved peacefully amongst the parties concerned and
we want it resolved, of course, consistently with international law, with the law of the sea.
When it comes to any such issues within our region, I made it clear yesterday that we
believe that the proposed ASEAN code of conduct for dealing with these matters is a very
good starting point.
We don't use the phrase multilateralising these issues. Clearly, when there are some
maritime issues or disputes, they do have the potential to cause concern or tension more
generally, and that's why one of the hallmarks that Australia has applied is not just these
matters being settled amicably by the parties consistent with international law, but also in a
way which maintains or enhances stability. And so that's our approach and I expressed that
yesterday.
I thought it was a very good feature of yesterday's meeting that a range of countries
referred to this issue but did so in a sensible way in which it was quite clear that the mood
of the meeting, the mood of the countries concerned, is to seek to resolve these issues in a
positive and constructive way.
LINDA MOTTRAM: I'm just wondering whether China actually discussed that issue
openly and whether there's any sense that any countries, I guess more broadly, required
any particular conditions for joining up to this meeting. I mean, one wonders if there were
any political compromises to get this to happen.
STEPHEN SMITH: Well, firstly, I speak on behalf of Australia. I'm not proposing to put
words into the mouths of others. But this was an issue which was referred to by a range of
countries and it was done in a positive and constructive way. That's the first point.
Secondly, so far as Australia is concerned, and I'm sure it applies generally and broadly,
there were no preconditions for this. The establishment of ASEAN Defence Ministers'
Meeting in a format which includes dialogue partners, the eight dialogue partners, is a very
positive initiative. Of course when people, when nations, when Ministers attend that forum
they'll put a national view. So, so far as
we're concerned, not only are there no
preconditions, it is a very important development which we believe adds very considerable
potential to ensuring that into the future stability, peace and security remains as a constant
thematic.
LINDA MOTTRAM: I just want to go back to the code of conduct in the South China Sea,
which is, of course, non-binding. Eight years on, now that that issue,
you know, with that
issue continuing to run and be difficult, does that code of conduct need to be made legally
binding, in your view?
STEPHEN SMITH: We've said that we regard the code of conduct as a very good starting
point for consideration of the issue within our regional context, within the ASEAN and the
ASEAN-Plus context.
But I think, irrespective of the detail of a code of conduct or any proposed code
of
conduct, what is always required in these issues is a positive and constructive approach; an
approach which sees these issues resolved consistently with international law, with the law
of the sea, and in a way which doesn't cause any undue tension within a particular area or a
particular region. They're the parameters or the hallmarks that Australia has outlined, and I
made that very clear yesterday.
LINDA MOTTRAM: And Australia has joined with Malaysia
as co-chair of one of the
working groups that's emerged out of this meeting, the Maritime Security Working Group.
How will that work?
STEPHEN SMITH: It's a very good development that we've got five expert working
groups. As you correctly say, Australia and Malaysia have effectively volunteered to co-
chair the Maritime Security Expert Working Group. China and Vietnam have agreed to
chair the expert working group on disaster relief and disaster relief management. The
expert working committees will, at officials level, meet again in Hanoi in December of this
year to set the scene for their ongoing work. It's part of the ongoing work of the Defence
Ministers Plus arrangement. Next year, of course, you'll have a meeting of senior officials.
Ministers won't meet every year.
But we're a maritime nation, we're an island continent
and so it's very important to
Australia's national interest,
maritime security,
but it's also important to regional and
international interests, rights of free passage, to enable trade and commerce to be effected.
We have, in the last few years, seen an emerging difficulty so far as international piracy is
concerned.
So it puts Australia in a very good position to be able to not just pursue a general issue
which is of significant importance to our economic,
strategic and security interests, but
also very important regionally.
LINDA MOTTRAM: Okay. And now while I've got you Minister, the Opposition says the
Government has neglected the legal defence of the three Australian soldiers charged over
civilian deaths in Afghanistan. What is your response to that?
STEPHEN SMITH: I think these are unfortunate comments from Mr Abbott. We have a
system which was introduced by the Howard Government with the support of the Labor
Party, which ensured that if prosecutions were brought against members of the Defence
forces, that it would be done by an independent objective impartial military prosecutor.
The legislation was introduced by the Howard Government, in
which Mr Abbott was a
Cabinet Minister. The Military Prosecutor was appointed by the Howard Government.
And so the processes that we now see unfolding are as a result of legislation introduced by
a Government of which Mr Abbott was a member and which had the support of the now
Government.
I think those comments are unfortunate and regrettable, and I welcome the comments from
the Shadow Minister for Defence Science, Technology
and Personnel, Mr Robert, this
morning putting this in a better context.
More generally, I've made the point that because we have an independent legal and judicial
process occurring, it's inappropriate for me or the Prime Minister or, frankly, anyone else
to reflect upon the particular incident, to reflect upon any of the merits of the case which
might predetermine an outcome.
What is also very important is that I am advised very strongly by the Chief of the Defence
Force that every assistance, legal and other assistance, will be provided to the three
personnel concerned. The Chief of the Defence Force and the Chief of Army will ensure
that they have access to every legal assistance, but also every support because, clearly, for
them it is a very difficult time. And that's appropriate.
But what is occurring now is precisely as a result of legislation introduced by the Howard
Government, in which Mr Abbott was a Minister.
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