EU and Australia hail ‘key partnership’

Commission President José Manuel Barroso yesterday (2 April) described the relationship between the EU and Australia as a “key partnership” during a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in Brussels, stressing their common desire to “substantially upgrade” relations.

The recently-elected Rudd stated that his visit was intended to establish new broad-based relations with the EU. Both speakers identified issues such as global trade liberalisation, climate change and the security situation in Afghanistan as areas for further co-operation. Australia has 1000 troops in Afghansistan under the mandate of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). 

Barroso congratulated Australia on its recent ratification of the Kyoto protocol (11 March), hailing the decision a “courageous move”. The EU is “using this argument” as a motivation in discussions with other “very important partners,” he said.

Meanwhile on trade issues, Rudd stated that “the Doha round is doable” and called for its conclusion as a matter of urgency despite the difficult issues which are still to be resolved regarding the crisis in global financial markets and agriculture. Referring to the ongoing cultivation of opium cultures in Afghanistan, the prime minister described today’s situation as “no better than in 2004” when he last visited the country. 

He expressed the view that opium crops should be eliminated and the cultures substituted, adding that this would cut an illegal source of financing for terrorist activities. 

Rudd concluded by stressing that Australia’s commitment to Afghanistan is “rock solid”. However he called for the burden there to be shared among all the nations involved. 

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