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Australia-India
Foreign Ministers Framework Dialogue
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At
the Australia-India Foreign Ministers Framework Dialogue in Canberra
on 23 June, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Stephen
Smith, and the Indian Minister for External Affairs, Pranab Mukherjee,
underlined the strong bonds and enduring shared interests which
underpin the Australia-India relationship. They affirmed that the
two governments were committed to taking bilateral links to a new,
higher level. They noted that existing and new forms of cooperation
in a wide range of areas exemplified the growing depth and breadth
of the Australia-India partnership.
The Ministers welcomed the diversification and strengthening of
political links between Australia and India, two democracies committed
to the rule of law, pluralism and respect for human rights. They
emphasised that regular high-level political contact would continue
to underpin bilateral relations. Mr Smith said he looked forward
to visiting India in September. Mr Mukherjee welcomed the visit
and said this would provide another opportunity for continuing the
dialogue.
International
and regional cooperation
The Ministers had an in-depth and wide-ranging discussion
about international and regional issues. They underlined the significant
capacity for enhanced regional cooperation between Australia and
India, including in the context of the East Asia Summit. They also
confirmed the need for effective multilateralism and more representative
international institutions which reflect the realities of the 21st
century. Mr Smith reiterated Australia’s strong support for a permanent
seat for India on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). He
also highlighted Australia’s firm support for India’s membership
of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation grouping when the membership
moratorium ends in 2010.
Mr Mukherjee welcomed Australia’s bid for a non-permanent UNSC seat
for the 2013-14 term. He noted India would follow with interest
Australia’s initiative in appointing an envoy to explore how an
Asia-Pacific Community might evolve over time to respond to emerging
opportunities. He further said India supported Australia’s application
for observer status at meetings of the South Asian Association for
Regional Cooperation.
Mr
Smith and Mr Mukherjee discussed the current food security and energy
security challenges facing the world and underlined the capacity
of Australia and India to work together, including at ministerial
level, to address these issues in a mutually beneficial manner.
They noted Australia’s capacity to cooperate actively in these areas
as India’s economy continues to expand.
The Ministers reiterated their strong support for nuclear disarmament
and non-proliferation. They noted that Australia and India have
stepped up their dialogue on strategic issues. They welcomed the
decision to establish regular chief of defence force level talks.
The inaugural talks are scheduled to take place in Australia in
the near future.
Recalling the recent bombings in Jaipur, Mr Smith and Mr Mukherjee
stressed that Australia and India were united in the fight against
terrorism. Looking forward to the next meeting of the bilateral
Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and Immigration in New
Delhi later this year, they noted the need for practical cooperation
in areas such as intelligence, law enforcement, border security
and counter-terrorist financing and money laundering. The ministers
underlined the desire of both countries to strengthen intelligence
cooperation, including on counter-terrorism issues.
Mr
Smith and Mr Mukherjee stressed the importance of an effective and
comprehensive global response to climate change and reaffirmed the
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. They noted the positive
contribution being made by joint Australian-Indian projects under
the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, including
in relation to deploying clean technology. They announced the creation
of a new bilateral water dialogue to share ideas about the best
way to handle scarce water resources.
Political links
Mr Smith and Mr Mukherjee announced that the two countries had decided
to extend the political partnership which binds the two countries
together by establishing a new forum, the Australia-India Roundtable.
Convened by the Lowy Institute and the Indian Council for World
Affairs, the Roundtable will bring together leading individuals
from both countries every year to discuss the opportunities and
challenges facing Australia and India in the twenty-first century.
Details regarding the holding of the Roundtable are being determined.
The Ministers welcomed Australia’s decision to allocate up to $10
million under its development assistance program for targeted technical
assistance to build public sector linkages between the two countries.
Projects funded under the scheme will address pressing public policy
issues in various areas, including potentially on agriculture, climate
change, water and resource management.
The Ministers announced the formation of a new joint
working group on visas, passports and consular issues to facilitate
greater practical cooperation in these areas. Mr Smith said the
Australian Government would continue to address concerns about the
safety and well-being of Indian students in Australia in an active
way. He stressed that Australia authorities would also continue
to follow up any incidents involving Indian students quickly and
efficiently.
Legal cooperation
Legal cooperation, especially in relation to law enforcement, is
another key and expanding area of the Australia-India relationship.
Mr Smith and Mr Mukherjee signed an extradition treaty and a mutual
legal assistance treaty, underscoring the willingness of the two
countries to collaborate and address criminal matters in a practical
way.
Economic links
Mr Smith and Mr Mukherjee underlined the strength of the bilateral
economic relationship, especially in the resources and energy sector,
and welcomed the positive outcomes of the 11th Joint Ministerial
Commission, co-chaired by the Australian Minister for Trade, Simon
Crean, and the Indian Minister for Commerce and Industry, Kamal
Nath, in Melbourne on 20 May. They noted that the base of the economic
relationship was expanding into new areas such as information technology
and biotechnology. They highlighted the proposal to create an Australia-India
CEOs Forum to enhance business links, ensuring that the expanding
economic relationship was underpinned by closer business links at
the highest level. They reiterated that the two governments looked
forward to receiving a report on the feasibility of a comprehensive
FTA from the joint FTA study group by the end of 2008. They welcomed
the proposal to enhance resources cooperation between the two countries
by finalising the terms of a bilateral resources strategy.
Scientific and education cooperation
Recognising that science and education constitute one of the most
dynamic parts of the Australia-India relationship, the Ministers
underlined the capacity for scientific cooperation, including via
the bilateral strategic research fund.
Australia’s and India’s premier science organisations, the Commonwealth
Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), will sign
a Memorandum of Understanding in July to further their scientific
collaboration. This MOU will build on the recent signing of a research
partnership between CSIRO and CSIR that focuses on research related
to water, energy and sustainable agriculture. The Ministers noted
the advantages of hosting the Square Kilometre Array, the world’s
largest radio telescope, in Australia.
Education is a cornerstone of the relationship, with
more than 52,000 Indian students currently enrolled in Australian
educational institutions. Ministers noted the positive role being
played by Australia’s Endeavour Scholarship Awards in strengthening
knowledge links between the two countries.
People-to-people links
The Australia-India relationship is underpinned by diverse and expanding
people-to-people links. The Indian diaspora in Australia is making
a tangible contribution to enhancing bilateral links. Mr Smith and
Mr Mukherjee called for more youth exchanges in various fields,
including between young professionals, to build up connections and
take the Australia-India relationship forward over the coming decades.
Australia agreed to forward a proposal for sending a group of Australian
Youth Ambassadors to India in the near future.
Sport has long been a strong bond between Australia and India. Taking
our well-established cricket relationship in a new direction, ministers
welcomed the decision of the Australia India Council to fund training
programs for some of India’s rising young women cricketers. They
also acknowledged the good work of the Australian Sports Outreach
Program (ASOP), which provides funding for sports projects in disadvantaged
communities. ASOP will fund up to three projects in India over the
next 12 months.
*Joint
Statement on India-Australia Foreign Ministers Framework Dialogue
signed in Canberra on June 23, 2008)
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