Transcript
3 August 2009
Interview with Radio Australia's Pacific Beat Program
Interviewer: Jemima Garrett
Subject: PACER plus
Australia 's Trade Minister Simon Crean says there's a growing acceptance in the region, that a new trade & economic agreement is in the interests of the Pacific. Mr Crean was speaking in Brisbane at the opening of a Lowy Institute Conference on the global economic crisis on the Pacific islands. Mr Crean also rejected allegations that Australia has pushed too hard for a PACER-PLUS agreement and confirmed the agreement will be discussed at the Pacific leaders' meeting in Cairns later this week.
GARRETT: The proposed PACER Plus agreement has become mired in controversy over Fiji's suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum for failing to meet the forum leaders deadline for the return of democracy. Fiji has written to the forum, saying it has a legal right under the original PACER agreement to be consulted on all PACER issues and asked that no more discussions take place until its grievance is dealt with. That could have meant no discussion of PACER Plus at Cairns and the failure of Australia's push to see this forum officially launch the long awaited formal negotiations for PACER Plus.
Simon Crean told the conference the Pacific trade ministers had made a unanimous recommendation to their leaders that they launch negotiations for PACER Plus in Cairns this week and he said as PACER Plus is clearly a forum initiative, Fiji could not be involved.
CREAN: When we're talking about PACER Plus, I am referring to the forum's consideration of a new regional trade and economic integration agreement. This is completely separate from the PACER agreement. Now I recognise that the similarity of the names may have the potential for confusion, but I think what is disingenuous is the attempt to find a legal link for Fiji between the two, a country that has increasingly shown little respect for the law.
GARRETT: The crowd at the Lowy Conference opening included Pacific prime ministers, ministers and civil society representatives. Mr. Crean told them PACER Plus is much more than a free trade agreement.
CREAN: PACER Plus on the other hand, responds to the genuine interest from the Pacific Island nations to build a solid platform for their economic and trading future, a collaborative approach going forward.
GARRETT: Australia's Trade Minister, Simon Crean. Mr. Crean's remarks were welcomed by Westpac's General Manager for the Pacific Islands, Jane Kittle.
KITTLE: My own sector and the Australian private sector in general supports your enthusiasm for the future prosperity of the region. The prospect of the launch of PACER Plus negotiations is a very exciting development for the region. The private sector in the region is looking forward to helping governments negotiate an agreement which will spur greater investment and growth.
GARRETT: Jane Kittle, Westpac's General Manager for the Pacific Islands. Civil society organisations opposed to PACER Plus released a report last week accusing Mr. Crean of bullying Pacific governments. It was not an allegation that found any sympathy from the Australian trade minister.
CREAN: I also want to clearly address and reject the claim reported that Australia and New Zealand have somehow pressured forum island countries to agree to start negotiations on PACER Plus before they are ready. This claim is not only wrong. I believe it is disrespectful to the Pacific Island Forum countries and their governments and it also implies the Pacific Island governments are incapable of judging what's in the best interests of their own people.
GARRETT: Fiji is the economic hub of the region and opponents of PACER Plus have been quick to point out that any agreement may not be viable without Fiji.
Mr. Crean assured the crowd that Australia is mindful of the fact that Fiji will have to participate in any concluded PACER Plus arrangement.
In the meantime, while the military regime of interim prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, refuses to respond to the Pacific leaders message in suspending it from the Forum, he said Australia is open to consider options for keeping Fiji informed.
CREAN: We have had lots of discussion about this issue in an attempt to find a workable solution, given Commodore Bainimarama's intransigence and we will continue to discuss options, for keeping Fiji engaged on PACER Plus developments, but mindful that what we can't do is contravene the decision that Pacific Island leaders have taken.
[ENDS]
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