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Wednesday, Sep 10, 2008
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Ties go beyond nuclear issues, says Australia

V.S. Sambandan

— Photo: V. Ganesan

Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Stephen Smith at an interaction at The Hindu office in Chennai on Tuesday.

Chennai: Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith on Tuesday said bilateral relations with India went beyond nuclear issues, and were based on strong fundamentals.

“I think it would be a mistake if anyone were to conclude that the nuclear issue was the issue which defined or crystallised the relationship between Australia and India. It is one of very many things that we deal with, he said. “I think the underlying fundamentals of the bilateral relationship between Australia and India are so strong and have so much potential for the future that there is so much complementarity between us.”

In a 45-minute interaction at The Hindu, Mr. Smith clarified the difference in rationale between non-sale of uranium and support for the Nuclear Suppliers Group’s decision in favour of India.

“When it came to the export of uranium, we had a long-standing party policy decision of not exporting uranium to a country that was not a party to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). When it came, however, to the question of India’s civil nuclear industry and the U.S.-India civil nuclear agreement, the proliferations benefits of that were to bring substantial portions of India’s civil nuclear industry under the purview of the international regulator of India’s own volition. That, in my view, is an unambiguously good thing. Secondly, Australia acknowledged and accepted that, strategically, that was very important for both the U.S. and India.”

Australia had considered the relative importance “from India’s perspective” of the U.S.-India deal and approval of that through the IAEA and of exemptions through the NSG, “or from where India sourced its uranium.”

“I think strategically, from India’s perspective, it is the former — the approval by the NSG, and by the IAEA of that agreement. It is now open to India to source uranium from whichever uranium producer or provider wants to so supply under the terms and conditions that nation-state believes is appropriate.”

Direct flights

Asked about the limited number of direct flights to Australia from India, Mr. Smith admitted that it was an area requiring attention. “Both the industry and the government have to put their shoulders to the wheel to improve and enhance.”

Education

Education ties were another highpoint in bilateral ties, he said. The number of Indian students studying in Australia had increased from about 60,000 in 2006, to 75,000 in the first three quarters of 2007. “I’d like to see more Australian universities having a greater role on the ground in India. We value very much those educational links.”

Bridging skills shortages was an area where more work could be done. “Australia’s prowess in technical education could be utilised in partnership with India.” Australia’s “very good system” of training skilled trades-people such as plumbers and electricians could be used to provide training in India.

“The potential is there for a partnership in those areas, which I would like to encourage with the Australian industry and Australian technical education providers.”

On the situation in Myanmar, Mr. Smith said: “The political players in Myanmar should be allowed free and active involvement that should crystallise into a free and open election. It is incumbent upon the regional and international community to put pressure on Myanmar to see that that happens.”

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