Doorstop Interview
BRISBANE - 17th July 2006
RUDD: Well the situation in Lebanon and the broader Middle East continues to be very tense. The security situation there is of grave concern to all Australians. It is of grave concern in particular to those Lebanese Australians who have friends, families and loved ones who are still in Lebanon.
My office yesterday took something like 75 calls from the Lebanese community across Australia about their concerns about the security of their friends, their family and their loved ones. The situation on the ground is very difficult. Many people in Lebanon are finding it very difficult to get through to the Australian Embassy in Beirut. The phone lines are basically clogged and people are receiving recorded messages. It is very important that Australians in Lebanon if they can’t get through to the Embassy in Beirut instead try the 1300 number here in Australia to the Department of Foreign Affairs. That is the important way of getting through critical information to the authorities in Canberra.
One of the concerns that we have is the situation particularly in villages in Southern Lebanon. There is a village where we have seen seven Canadians recently tragically killed and this is the area where many Australians currently find themselves. The advice that we have received from friends and family of these people in Lebanon is that they are finding it very difficult to get out of that area. It is dangerous being on the roads. It is dangerous staying in their current accommodation as well. This is a very dangerous part of Lebanon at present.
We will be making particular representations to Mr Downer today and to the Israeli Ambassador concerning their well-being in particular. The situation in Southern Lebanon where many Australians still find themselves trapped is very difficult and very dangerous. We have already seen Canadians killed there and we have got to act as urgently as we can to try and secure their release from that part of this war torn country.
On top of that, the Government has now launched efforts of course when it comes to overland transport into Syria and they are still investigating the use of a ferry to Cyprus. Both of these forms of transport have our support. Of course we assume the Government has been undertaking these transport arrangements and doing it on the basis of the security policy information available to them.
When it comes to the broader foreign policy situation in the Middle East at present, we remain gravely concerned about the possibility of this escalating into a general war. We call for restraint on all sides. We call in particular for restraint which would be important in underpinning the continued political position of the government in Beirut. The government in Beirut historically has been a moderate government and it is important that their position is not undermined through the course and the conduct of this conflict.
It is important that we see restraint and it is important that we see external diplomatic intervention. It is important that we see some calming to this overall dispute because none of us wish to see this escalate into a full-blown general regional war. The consequences for the region’s security would be terrible. The consequences for Australians living in the region, not just the 25,000 in Lebanon, would be grave. But on top of that, the consequences also for the global economy would be catastrophic.
Can I just finish on this: many people don’t know that there are more Australians in Lebanon than of any other nationality around the world. There are some 25,000 Australians in Lebanon and some 25,000 it seems American Lebanese, some 10,000 from the UK and the numbers get smaller. Australia has the largest number of its nationals in Lebanon than practically any other country. That is why we must redouble our national efforts to secure their safety in this troubled and war torn country right now. They need our assistance. They are Australian citizens. We have an obligation to assist them. And we continue to support on a bipartisan effort the government’s actions in trying to secure their departure from that country.
REPORTER: Is the Government actually doing enough, the British Government is actually sending in two battle ships?
RUDD: The British Government is responding immediately to the concerns with its nationals. Obviously it is important for the Australian Government to be in close liaison with the British to use their naval assets in the region to assist Australians as well. That will be an important form of cooperation.
The Australian Government though has a huge challenge on its hands. And that is why I have said over many days now that they need all hands on deck to assist this huge number of Australians in that country.
Put it in perspective – there are more Australians in country at present than any other foreign nationality. So the challenge for us by global standards is huge. That is why we need to redouble our efforts. We continue to offer the Government support but when it comes to the resources of our Embassy in Beirut, plainly they are stretched to the absolute limit and beyond breaking point.
REPORTER: What more could the Australian Government be doing?
RUDD: We are not in the business of providing armchair strategic advice to the Australian Government. They have got a huge challenge on the ground. They may have been a bit slow in starting their preparations for this some days ago. I think they are now doing everything that they possibly can. That’s why several days ago we called on them to have all hands on deck because this is a huge challenge by global standards.
But negotiations with Israel are critical to secure safe passage for Australians. Negotiating with transport providers obviously are critical to get people out of the country, both by road and by sea transport and on top of that, making sure that the lines of communication are open to Australians on the ground. And that is where we may need to see a further lifting of locally engaged staff working for the Australian Embassy in Beirut. These are the sort of practical things which the government needs to be working on. I am confident based on the information that I have received so far that they are working on these things.
REPORTER: Minister Downer said this morning that Australia is one of the leading countries in evacuating citizens from Lebanon. Only 83 have been removed at this point of time but Italian and Spanish authorities are actually getting in and getting their citizens out of there. Are we being slowed down by the negotiating process do you think while we have so many citizens stranded there?
RUDD: I don’t have at my fingertips the number of foreign nationals that have been released or shall I say evacuated from Lebanon. I have seen a report today from the Swedish newspapers that 750 people from Sweden have been given safe passage out of Lebanon through Syria. I have not been able to confirm that report. But plainly other nationals are exiting Lebanon as well. How Australia fares in a comparative sense against that, I don’t know. The Australian Government’s challenge is the biggest of all – 25,000 nationals, bigger it seems than any other foreign national presence anywhere in Lebanon.
REPORTER: Do you think that Australia is hampered by its distance from Lebanon?
RUDD: Well, we have friends and allies like the British and I am sure our friends and partners in Europe can also assist. I notice that the French are deploying assets to the Eastern Mediterranean as well. Australia needs to draw upon all international resources and all of its alliance partners at this time of difficulty and crisis. We also need to be negotiating very directly with the Israeli Government concerning the safe passage of Australians out of the country. I note that Mr Downer has spoken to the Israeli Foreign Minister. That is to be welcomed as well. I will be reinforcing the same in discussions I have with the Israeli Ambassador.
REPORTER: You mention that you will be meeting with the Ambassador later. Do you think that the Israelis will allow safe passage through?
RUDD: What the Israeli Government and Israeli Defence Force does in response to representations from the Australian Government, I am not sure. It is critical however that the Government of Israel co-operate with the Australian Government in allowing Australian nationals to exit safely from Lebanon now and that is the point that I will be emphasising to the Israeli Ambassador.
REPORTER: There has also been criticism this morning of the UN’s role and particularly Kofi Annan’s role in being a bit slow to act. Do you have any comment on that?
RUDD: External diplomatic intervention is now critical. Nobody wants this conflict to escalate into a general regional war. External intervention is critical through both the United Nations and its Special Representatives have a critical role to play, as does the Government of the United States. Equally I have got to say that it would be enormously helpful if Iran and Syria at last did the right thing and pulled in Hezbollah from the current actions from which it is engaged in providing rolling shelling and rolling rocket attacks on Israeli settlements. Remember, these attacks began quite a long time ago as did attacks from Hamas in Gaza against Israeli territory using kassam rockets. In fact, they go back to August last year.
Just on East Timor. The Prime Minister goes today to East Timor. The question of the future of Australia’s troop commitment to East Timor is critical. Foreign Minister Downer said on 10 July that we should start pulling Australian troops out now. Mr Downer is just plain wrong. It is time that the Foreign Minister was put in his box on this. It is important that the Prime Minister make it plain to our friends in East Timor that Australia will not turn our backs on East Timor – that we will be there for the long haul. That we will be there to help restore peace and security to that country.
Mr Downer and the Australian Government should not repeat the mistakes they made in 2003, 04 and 05. At that stage, Australia exited East Timor too early. They did it against the advice from the Australian Opposition at the time. They did it against the request of Mr Horta at the time and that was one of the contributing factors to the East Timorese politics and security falling apart in early 2006.
Australia must not repeat the mistakes that it made before 2006 by withdrawing too early. We need to convey a clear-cut message to Prime Minister Horta that we will not be turning our backs on their security needs now.
REPORTER: Just on that, Mr Howard would not be drawn this morning on any length of time. Are you able to say what a long-term view is?
RUDD: I note that Mr Horta, the Prime Minister of East Timor, has said that he needs a strong, robust Australian commitment through to the end of this year. East Timor has its national elections due next year. I think that Australia would have to look long and hard about whether in fact there was a case to withdraw any of its troops in terms of the size of its commitment prior to those elections next year. But is it very important that we continue to provide the balance of East Timor’s security in this very difficult and dangerous time.
REPORTER: Do you think that Prime Minister Howard’s visit to East Timor at this moment is further emphasising the impression that Australia is becoming more involved in the domestic issues in East Timor rather than just maintaining a peacekeeping force?
RUDD: Well, since Mr Howard has been Prime Minister we have seen an arc of instability erupt to Australia’s near North – first in the Solomon Islands and now in East Timor, with Papua New Guinea a continuing concern as well. Mr Howard has to respond to the challenges of our own arc of instability and that means Australia being robustly engaged politically, diplomatically and unfortunately militarily.
REPORTER: What is your impression of the Newspoll with Costello going down?
RUDD: Well, it is time for John Howard to tell the Australian people whether he is coming or going. Peter Costello is now dead in the water. It is time for Mr Howard to make it absolutely plain to the Australian people that he intends to contest the next federal election. Enough word games, enough shilly-shallying, just level with the Australian people. Tell them that you are staying on. That is important because otherwise the Australian Government is going to be paralysed and otherwise it is going to consume too much energy internally given that the Government has huge foreign policy and domestic policy challenges. Enough is enough – the Australian people are sick and tired of the John Howard-Peter Costello soap opera. It is time that he put this saga to rest by simply saying to the Australian people that he is staying until the next election.
REPORTER: So if Mr Costello is just dead in the water, should he just go back to the back bench?
RUDD: Well, Mr Costello should have gone to the backbench or else challenged a week or so ago. That was plain when he launched this attack against Mr Howard. Whoever is right, whoever is wrong in the truth telling stakes, history will sort that one out. But the bottom line is this – the government will remain internally paralysed until John Howard declares clearly to the Australian people what he intends to do. You can’t convince me that as of today John Howard doesn’t know what his plans are for the next election. So why not just tell the Australian people what those plans are, Prime Minister? You are just playing silly word games with them at present. It is time to be very plain and straight forward in your language.
REPORTER: Should Australia send aid to Java?
RUDD: This most recent tsunami is yet a further body blow to the long-suffering people of Indonesia. This is yet again a terrible loss of life to the people of Indonesia. Our hearts go out to them. It seems they simply recover from one natural disaster and then have to confront another. It is a terrible loss of life again, although it is a small number compared with the huge loss of life which occurred in the tsunami at the beginning of 2005. Our hearts go out to them. I am sure the Australian Embassy in Jakarta will be looking at any practical forms of assistance that Australia can provide.
REPORTER: Do you know if anything has been done to get the five Australians out of Java yet?
RUDD: No, we are working on that from our office with Mr Downer’s staff to work out the best way of ensuring the early and safe extraction of those Australians.
REPORTER: Do you have a personal message for the families here in Queensland who are concerned about loves ones in Lebanon and Java?
RUDD: On the question of Lebanese families here in Queensland, my office over the past few days has been endeavouring to contact as many from the Lebanese community as possible. If they are having difficulty getting their family information through to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Canberra or to the Embassy in Beirut, please contact my office in Canberra. We are providing each day a list of case files and details in those case files directly to Mr Downer himself.
REPORTER: If the trouble does escalate and it does become an urgent situation, does the Australian Government have any plans in place to get our citizens out quickly rather than negotiating?
RUDD: Well, on the question of the detailed logistical planning for a mass evacuation from Lebanon, I would hope that the Australian Government has all that in hand. We have had a briefing from them yesterday in Canberra about their plans for the removal of Australians in the coming days. What other plans the Government has, they did not brief us on. I hope that they have that all under control.
REPORTER: Do you personally believe that we are doing everything that we can at this time?
RUDD: It is easy for me in Opposition to criticise the government and Mr Howard at present. But we have 25,000 Australians in the middle of a war zone and therefore while they may have been slow in starting their preparations to help those Australians caught up in this conflict, I am confident now that the Australian Government from the Prime Minister’s statement on Sunday morning is doing as much as they physically can. This is a very difficult political, diplomatic and security challenge and we are seeking to provide as much bipartisan support for their efforts as possible.