Australian FM defends PM's travel to foreign countries
22/9/2008 16:38
Australian foreign minister Stephen Smith said today Prime Minister Kevin
Rudd's trip to New York was very much in the national interest.
Smith made
the remarks in response to opposition's claims that the prime minister - who
flies to New York later today on his eighth foreign trip this year - has spent
more time overseas than him.
The opposition has launched a scathing attack on
Rudd, branding him more "prime tourist" than prime minister. Rudd should stay at
home and deal with the ramifications of the global financial meltdown, it has
said.
Smith said that over the past 10 months he has spent 67 days overseas
while Rudd has been abroad for only about 40 days.
"But, in any event, the
prime minister's travels overseas have been in Australia's national interest,"
Smith told ABC Radio from the United States where he was also to attend the UN
general assembly.
"This is his second trip, for example to the United States.
His first trip in Canberra was to help to ensure that the transition to a new
Australian government didn't disturb the alliance with the US. His trip to
Europe opened up the way for a new partnership framework with the European
Union," he said.
Rudd had also visited China, Japan, the Pacific and
South-East Asia, Smith said. "So his travels have been pursuing our national
interest consistent with the three pillars of our foreign policy which is
engagement with the United Nations, our alliance with the US and engagement with
the Pacific."
Both Rudd and Smith will be at the UN for leaders' week and to
push Australia's bid for a seat on the Security Council.
Xinhua
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