MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Smith
I will travel to The Hague on 31 March to attend the United Nations sponsored International Conference on Afghanistan.
The Conference, hosted by the Netherlands and chaired by United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, will bring together key regional countries, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) countries and international organisations.
Australia welcomes a focus on two key elements of the Conference, which we consider critical to success in Afghanistan.
The first is the need for a comprehensive approach to Afghanistan, better integrating international military and civilian efforts across the country. The second is encouraging Afghanistan's neighbours to work with the United Nations and ISAF to achieve progress in Afghanistan.
This year will be a critical year for Afghanistan both in terms of security and in civilian reconstruction efforts. Australia continues to contribute to reconstruction efforts and we remain committed to building the capacity of the Afghan Government through our international development assistance program.
Australia also welcomes the US Administration's new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan announced by President Obama on 27 March. Australia agrees that the terrorist threat emanating from Afghanistan and Pakistan is an international security challenge of the highest order.
At the Conference, I will urge the international community to reaffirm its collective resolve and determination on Afghanistan.
Australia will continue to work closely with the Government of Afghanistan, our ISAF partners and international organisations, in particular the United Nations, in advancing long-term security and stability of Afghanistan and the South Asian region more broadly.
Australia remains committed to tackling terrorism at its source in the Afghanistan/Pakistan border area. A stable Afghanistan is in Australia's national interest. Together with the United Nations and the international community we continue to pursue that goal.
Australia has about 1100 ADF personnel undertaking a range of security and reconstruction tasks in Oruzgan Province, including a Reconstruction Task Force (RTF) and a Special Operations Task Group (SOTG), as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force. We are the largest non-NATO contributor to ISAF and the ninth largest overall.
While in The Hague, I will also conduct a bilateral meeting with my Netherlands' counterpart, Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen, whom I hosted in Perth in January this year. I will also meet members of the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court and the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, reflecting Australia's commitment to international legal norms.
I will return home via London. In London I will meet the Commonwealth Secretary-General to discuss Commonwealth matters, including Fiji.