MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Downer
I am pleased to announce Australia will provide further
assistance to help combat terrorism and transnational crime in the Pacific
region.
Along with the United States and New Zealand, Australian support will be
given to the Secretariat of the Pacific Forum to establish an expert working
group to develop a regional framework, which will include model legislation and
in-country legislative drafting assistance, to deal with terrorism.
Under this initiative, Australia will allocate up to $150,000 to help the
region strengthen its defences against terrorism under the Nasonini Declaration
on Regional Security. The declaration commits Pacific Island countries to
act collectively in response to security challenges and to implement
internationally agreed anti-terrorism measures.
These commitments complement other Australian efforts to combat terrorism and
money laundering, including a range of development assistance programs aimed at
strengthening legal systems, police forces, border controls and customs
operations.
In March 2002 we co-hosted, with New Zealand, the US and the Forum
Secretariat, a counter-terrorism workshop for Pacific Island countries.
In addition, Australia has recently committed $20,000 to the Commonwealth
Counter-Terrorism Project for activities in the Pacific.
These measures all demonstrate the importance the Australian Government
places on the need to work collectively within the region to combat terrorism
and transnational crime.
The Bali terrorist attacks have highlighted for Pacific Island countries the
urgent need to implement counter-terrorism measures such as those embodied in
the Nasonini Declaration.
Contacts
Andrew Park (Ministerial) 02 6277 7500 or 0418 253 285
Jo Elsom (AusAID) 02 6206 4960