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India,
Australia to Work
for Energy, Food
Security
At the Australia-India
Foreign Ministers
Framework Dialogue
in Canberra on
23 June, Australian
Minister for Foreign
Affairs Stephen
Smith, and 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. They
have stressed
the importance
of food and energy
security and pledged
to work together
to accomplish
the task.
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.
Smith said he
looked forward
to visiting India
in September.
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 on
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.
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.
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.
Smith and 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, Smith
and 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.
Smith and 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
Smith and 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. 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.
Smith and 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
Smith and 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. Smith and
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.
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