Transcript - E&OE
4 September 2009
Interview: Australia Network, News Hour with Jim Middleton
Topics: India, Doha, Indian students in Australia, uranium sales.
JIM MIDDLETON: Australian ministers seem to be queuing up this year to visit India, is this making up for lost time, for lost opportunities?
SIMON CREAN: No, because in fact I was here within eight weeks of us being sworn in ….and we had my Indian counterpart down in Australia some months later, there has been an election in between, this is the opportunity for a strengthened engagement on a number of different fronts so I think it is an effective group of ministers. It shows how important this relationship is to us and the Prime Minister of course will be visiting here later this year.
JIM MIDDLETON: You are sounding very optimistic at the moment about an early resolution to the long running Doha trade talks. Why are you so confident given the obstacles that are being placed in the way so far?
SIMON CREAN: Because I think we have come to grips with the number of those obstacles, and the re-engagement and active re-engagement by both India and the US has given critical momentum and opportunity to conclude the round.
JIM MIDDLETON: You’ve already met your Indian counterpart and talking about India’s re-engagement has India indicated to you, for example, that it is now prepared to give way on the issue of agricultural protection which thwarted earlier attempts to conclude the trade Round.
SIMON CREAN: The question with India was this issue of a safeguard mechanism in the event of sudden surges - we never argued against the principle. The key question for us is ensuring that the mechanism does not impact on normal trade, a position which they accept. Now the technical solution to that I believe clearly exists. The political will I think is strengthening, but that political will can’t be cemented until we also get resolution on a number of outstanding issues. So, the momentum that we have got over the last couple of months, the very fact that India is hosting this meeting is a significant fact, the fact that we’re meeting with Prime Minister Singh…and that that will be an important engagement in the lead up to the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh. All of this gives confidence that can build on the political momentum.
JIM MIDDLETON: What then is the solution to this key question of agricultural protection which has dogged world trade talks and trade agreements for thirty years now?
SIMON CREAN: Well, no I think we have made important progress in reviewing past rounds on breaking down agriculture barriers. What we already have on the table is significant reduction in agricultural support mechanisms, significant cuts in terms of farm support in the US and in the EC, a significant plus - if you like - for developing countries. This irritant in terms of the safeguards mechanism still has to be resolved, but so too do the outstanding issues on industrial goods product markets, if you like, so too do outstanding issues on the services end of the equation and unless we get movement in all parts, simply trying to get movement in one, is not going to solve the Round. So whilst I think we have moved a lot closer on agriculture, we can’t close the deal until we get progress in the other areas as well.
JIM MIDDLETON: I wonder if I can turn to a couple of bilateral issues, I notice that while you have been in India you have raised the issue, although you are Trade Minister not Education Minister, the troubles of Indian students in Australia, but have your counterparts in this country emphasised this issue at all?
SIMON CREAN: Yeah, but not only here, Jim, we have had these discussions over a number of months… now in fact I phoned Anand Sharma after he was installed and we talked about the students issue when we first met in Bali. But look, whilst it is true that the accreditation processes with the marketing falls within Julia’s department, the fact is Australia as a safe destination for quality education in a welcoming multi-cultural environment are all essential brands that we have to protect and that’s where the importance of protecting that brand comes in squarely into the Trade portfolio. Now, the other thing that we’ve said here is that when it comes to education we’re in the market for selling, if you like, exporting a quality safe education environment. We’re not in the market for selling visas and to the extent to which we have to get the accreditation process right in Australia, there also has to be co-operation at this end, in India, of ensuring agents who channel some of the students now, are also appropriately accredited.
JIM MIDDLETON: One final question, New Delhi is still pressing Australia to end its veto on uranium sales to India. Given the need to get India on board for climate change wouldn’t it improve Australia’s bonafides if it were prepared to provide a proven source of clean energy so desperately needed to keep the Indian economy growing and also improve the quality of life of millions?
SIMON CREAN: In terms of the cleaner energy solutions we’re already doing a lot with India in terms of clean coal technologies, we’re doing a lot in terms of cleaner gas and the recent gas sale to India - not just to China – a long term contract is a good demonstration of our ability to meet their long term energy needs through cleaner fuel options. As for uranium, our position has been quite clear, the Indian authorities understand our position ….they would prefer it was different but they understand it - that is - we won’t be a supplier of uranium to countries that are non-signatories to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and that is our position. That issue has not been a frustration or an impediment to us progressing to look at their energy security needs through other forms.
JIM MIDDLETON: Minister, thanks for your time
SIMON CREAN: Okay, thank you Jim.
[ENDS]
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