SALUTATION:
Hon. Stephen Smith
Leader of the Australian delegation &
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Hon. Simon Crean
Senator, the Hon. Penny Wong
Hon. Peter Garrett
Hon. Martin Ferguson
Hon. Bob Debus
Hon. Warren Snowdon
Parliamentary Secretaries:
Hon. Duncan Kerr
Senator, the Hon. Bob McMullan
Senator, the Hon. Senator Jan McLucas
PNG side:
Hon. Sam Abal
Leader of PNG delegation & Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade & Immigration
Hon. Patrick Pruaitch
Hon. Paul Tiensten
Hon. Dame Carol Kidu
Hon. Sasa Zibe
Hon. Sani Rambi
Hon. Mark Maipakai
Hon. Charles Abel
Hon. Benny Allen
Hon. John Hickey
Hon. Gabriel Kapris
Hon. Job Pomat
Hon. Dr Allan Marat
Hon. Bob Dadae
Officials from both countries
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Closing Remarks for the 18th PNG/Australia Ministerial Forum
by
Grand Chief Rt. Hon. Sir Michael Somare GCL GCMG CH CF KStJ
Prime Minister
[Madang 23 April 2008]
I know that all of you have had enough of sitting in this room and listening to people talk. And when a reception is the next order of business of the day, the last thing anyone would want is another long statement.
I will therefore spare you that agony and try to make my closing remarks as brief as possible.
To our Australian friends - led by Foreign Minister Smith - welcome to Papua New Guinea.
I hope you found time from your meetings to enjoy what ‘Beautiful Madang’ has to offer. I can assure you that the people of Madang are very friendly and the place is peaceful.
To the Governor of Madang, Hon. Sir Arnold Amet, and his provincial administration, and the people of Madang, thank you for playing host to this 18th PNG/Australia Ministerial Forum.
For me personally, I was touched by the generous welcome I received this morning from the people and government of Madang, but especially the school children.
You will recall that when Prime Minister Rudd visited Papua New Guinea in March, I announced that the visit signalled the rebirth of the bilateral relationship between two friendly neighbours.
I also noted that it will be a relationship that we will build together.
During our discussions we stressed the importance of regular dialogue at the highest political and officials level.
I couldn’t help but be impressed by the number of senior Federal Ministers that the Australian Government has sent for this Forum.
The Papua New Guinea government has also ensured not less than 10 senior Ministers attended this important meeting.
I also note from the delegation lists that there is also an unprecedented number of senior officials from both countries who have accompanied their Ministers here.
I am pleased with this.
This only reinforces one thing – after an absence of three (3) years, the PNG/Australia Ministerial Forum has rightfully regained its prominent place as a mechanism for constructive dialogue in the management of our bilateral relations!
I know a lot of effort and resources were expended to ensure that Ministers engaged meaningfully with each other at this Madang Forum.
Since the visit of Prime Minister Rudd in March, Papua New Guinea has sent several delegations to Canberra, firstly by the PNG Foreign Minister Abal in February, followed by Deputy Prime Minister, Dr. Puka Temu from 12-14 March, and the most recent by senior officials’ meeting between both sides from 3-4 April.
The revival of the Ministerial Forum and the renewed enthusiasm in contacts between politicians and officials of our two countries reassures me that the wider PNG/Australia bilateral relationship is on the right path since its “rebirth” in late 2007.
But we must build on this momentum.
We must give substance to this new era in our two countries relationship.
As the Americans would say, we must now walk the talk.
I sincerely hope the discussions by our senior officials in the last few days and today’s Ministerial meeting have done exactly that.
I note from the draft Ministerial Joint Statement that a number of cooperative arrangements in the areas of advanced weather warning system, tourism, Kokoda Track, climate change mitigation, resources and energy, law enforcement, sports and development partnership were canvassed.
I hope you have been able to strike some understanding on how to progress these initiatives.
All these new initiatives will obviously build on existing arrangements, including the Carbon Partnership arrangement signed in March.
The challenge is to improve their management and delivery systems, cut down the red tape and ensure the benefits flow, particularly to the less fortunate in the rural communities.
I was pleased to hear that your discussions were frank and characterised by a spirit of genuine cooperation.
More importantly for me, I am advised that it was underpinned by a strong sense of mutual respect for each others’ differences and sovereignty.
A value embedded in both the Joint Declaration of Principles and the recently launched Port Moresby Declaration.
If there is anything that we must learn from the period immediately before November 2007, we must never abandon this fundamental principle in the conduct of our relations.
I also noted your agenda was quite comprehensive, and covered many areas of our bilateral relations.
This, I am informed, is now reflected in the Joint Statement.
Congratulations to the Ministers and officials of both delegations for a successful Madang Forum.
I will await my Foreign Minister to brief me and the whole Cabinet on the finer details of the agreed final outcome but I am confident this will be consistent with the “rebirth” in our bilateral relations and the need to move it to the next level.
In conclusion, may I once again wish the Australian delegation a pleasant stay in Madang and an equally safe return home.
Thank you.
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