E&OE Transcript
Joint Press Conference
4pm Thursday
25 June 2009
Prime Minister’s Residence
Ramallah, Palestinian Authority
ISSUES: Meeting with the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, settlements, Hamas
SALAM FAYYAD: [Statement]
You are welcome, great to have you here. Thanks for visiting with us and the podium is yours.
JULIA GILLARD: Thank you, thank you very much. Can I say it’s been a great pleasure to be here and to be able to meet with the President of the Palestinian Authority and to discuss issues of great interest to the President and, of course, to Australia.
We have taken the opportunity to talk about prospects for peace; to talk about our nation’s long standing desire to see a just and lasting peace here, in the Middle East, with a two state solution giving secure borders and a state and homeland for the Palestinian people and to give Israel secure borders and lasting peace in the Middle East.
We’ve also had the opportunity for me to inform the President that earlier this year the Australian Government announced a $20 million additional allocation of assistance to the Palestinian people. I’m able to announce today that $10 million of that will be made available through the World Bank account to the Palestinian Authority for investment in its development and reform plan. It will go to assist the Palestinian Authority to meet the needs of the Palestinian people for essential services such as health and education services.
So I’m pleased that I was able to be here today and to inform the President personally of that.
SALAM FAYYAD: Thank you very much.
[Questions to Prime Minister, Fayyad]
SALAM FAYYAD: In response to your question, this does not represent full implementation of what’s required. What is required, actually, is cessation of raids, military raids into Palestinian Authority areas. All of them under Palestinian Authority control. So, in that sense, therefore, it’s not a fulfilment. It does not constitute fulfilment of that which is required under the Road Map.
So what you have is right, and that’s our information. What is covered there is four areas only and that is still conditional and is not consistent with full implementation of that which is required. What is needed is, actually, to move to promptly implement those obligations, and this particular obligation, in so far as stopping the incursions is concerned. So our expectation and our demand for implementation of Road Map obligations in this particular area, that still stands.
REPORTER: What do you think about settlements?
JULIA GILLARD: Today, going to Bethlehem; is that what you mean?
REPORTER: No, no, no. What do you think about these settlements: peace, security?
JULIA GILLARD: I see, sorry. The position of the Australian Government has been quite clear. We have called for a freeze on settlement activity. Obviously, President Obama has made a very significant speech, including making some very significant statements about settlement activity. We have talked today about these issues and about the prospects for a further process for dialogue leading to a lasting peace.
REPORTER: Ms Gillard, do you believe that settlements are an obstacle to peace, and do you agree with President Obama that all settlement construction has to be frozen in order for the peace process to move forward?
JULIA GILLARD: The position of the Australian Government has been clear, that we do support a freeze on settlement activity, for there to be discussions, obviously. We believe that those discussions are assisted in circumstances where there is a freeze on settlement activity and the Palestinian people, the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli Government can have discussions about the long term arrangements leading to a two state solution, with secure borders, so that there can be a long lasting and stable peace in this area of the world.
REPORTER: Ms Gillard, from what you have seen and heard today, and from previous visits here, do you think that Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is fair and just?
JULIA GILLARD: We’ve expressed, humanitarian concerns on behalf of the Palestinian people and obviously, in the discussions that I’ve had with the Prime Minister today, relating to the aid announcement that we’re making today, that shows that we are concerned about the humanitarian situation of the Palestinian people. I should say, of course, that the Australian Government has made some significant contributions on aid for the Palestinian people and they have been significantly increased in recent times. So we do have concerns about humanitarian issues and we’re acting on those concerns.
REPORTER: And if Israel does not holt settlements, what should happen to them? What action should be taken?
JULIA GILLARD: I believe what President Obama is calling for, and what the world is looking towards, is to have a real dialogue that leads to progress. I think that there is a sense of urgency about that. I think that sense of urgency was expressed by President Obama.
REPORTER: Ms Gillard, you’ve been to the United States, you’ve had talks with senior officials there, you’ve spoken with most of the senior leaders in Israel and now with Prime Minister Fayyad; what is your sense of how things are progressing towards a peaceful outcome? Are there reasons to feel optimistic?
JULIA GILLARD: I think, having had discussions in the United States and here, in Israel and with the Prime Minister today, that there is reason to believe that there are people of good will on both sides, who do want to work together; who do want, particularly after President Obama’s recent and very significant speech, to see dialogue; to see an acceleration of that dialogue, and to see it leading to change.
REPORTER: Will Australia accept Hamas having any role in a future Palestinian Government?
JULIA GILLARD: Australia has made consistently clear that our view is Hamas should accept the principles laid down by the quartet, in particular, and most significantly, it must renounce violence.
REPORTER: Prime Minister Fayyad, I’m wondering if I can ask one question of you. Would you like to see the Australian Government doing more to help the Palestinian people?
SALAM FAYYAD: You just have, today, an announcement which we very much appreciate, [inaudible] and kind and to provide us with the kind of assistance that we most desperately need now. To help us with our operational expenses, that would provide immediate relief in an area where we need it the most. As many of you know, we’ve been going through a very difficult period financially speaking; a crisis over the past 7 months, where our receipts have consistently fallen short of what is required and that has made it very difficult for us. So we very much appreciate what you have, today, by way of the announcement just then, we’re grateful to Australia for that.
JULIA GILLARD: Thank you.
[Break]
JOURNALIST: Obviously, backing Australia, ‘utegate’ is entertaining and a lot of people, and it’s a major issue. What’s your view now from what you have been following, what should happen to Malcolm Turnbull? Do you think it has made his leadership untenable?
JULIA GILLARD: Obviously, I support every view that has been expressed by the Prime Minister, this matter has now been dealt with over several Parliamentary days. Mr Turnbull should be fully cooperating with the police investigation.
JOURNALIST: What about Wayne Swan, should he be fully cooperating with the police investigation?
JULIA GILLARD: I think the issue here is one for Mr Turnbull. Mr Turnbull has of course had his credibility squarely raised about these matters and he should be fully cooperating with the police investigation.
ENDS