More Australian aid to Pakistan
Updated
Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, is in Canberra for closed door talks with Australian military and political leaders about the conflict in the Swat Valley where Pakistan forces are engaged in pitched battles with Taliban militants.
The conflict, north of the capital, Islamabad, has forced around one and a half million people from their homes.
Foreign minister, Stephen Smith, is expected to formally announce later today, a twelve million dollar humanitarian fund for the homeless in the Swat Valley.
Presenter: Matt Brown
Speaker: Stephen Smith, Australian Foreign minister
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STEPHEN SMITH: Twelve-million-dollars aimed at people who have been displaced as a result of the conflict to be delivered through United Nations organisations, the Red Cross and also Australian NGOs (non-government organisations).
So it is aimed at people displaced from the Swat Valley, the North-West Frontier Province, the federally-administered tribal areas - so those very important Afghanistan/Pakistan border areas.
Confronting terrorism and reducing the threat of international terrorism is very important in Pakistan. We have been urging that upon the Pakistan Government for some time.
MATT BROWN: As for the Pakistan Government, do you share the concerns of independent observers like Human Rights Watch who've said that it is not only the Taliban that they are concerned about using civilians as human shields for example but a reckless approach in some cases from the Pakistani military, using artillery and aerial bombardment and killing civilians where that could have been avoided.
STEPHEN SMITH: Well, I have seen those reports but obviously I am not in a position to verify them one way or the other but we certainly expect that the Pakistan Government will protect human rights and do its best to ensure that its civilians aren't put into a conflict zone or put into danger but the real point here is, it is the extremist activity of the Taliban and other terrorists who are putting pressure on Pakistan itself, putting pressure on the Pakistan Government, putting pressure on Pakistani civilians.
MATT BROWN: In terms of that help from the Australian Government though, are you concerned that even this money that is being spent in the very near future to aid these victims of the conflict, will in some way be undermined by a heavy handed or an indiscriminate approach by the Pakistani military, in other words, a counter insurgency strategy about winning the hearts and minds of the population is undermined by, in effect, blunt force trauma?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well, any conflict where you are dealing with terrorists, where you are dealing with extremists, it is not just a military solution that will win the day. It has to be a military solution but also a solution which entails capacity building, development assistance, humanitarian assistance.
That is one of the reasons why we have announced a doubling of our development assistance to Pakistan, including aimed at the federally administered tribal areas, but also indicating to Pakistan that we are happy to try and help in terms of defence training, defence expertise, particularly as it relates to counter insurgency and counter terrorism.
MATT BROWN: On that subject, the Chief of Pakistan's General Staff, pretty much the most senior military officer who would be visiting Australia, is in Canberra right now. Does the Government plan to express any concerns to him about the way this campaign has been executed?
STEPHEN SMITH: Whenever our military meet with the military of other countries, we make the point that not only do we want to assist where that assistance is required or helpful or useful but we also make the point that the Australian military conducts itself in a manner which respects human rights and takes account of the dangers to civilians in conflict zones and we expect other militaries to take exactly the same approach and to play exactly the same role.
MATT BROWN: Minister, can you see a realistic scenario where most of these 1.5-million people who've been displaced get to go back and move into or rebuild their homes, feel well disposed towards their Government and the Taliban is kept at bay?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well, that is certainly the aspiration of the Pakistan Government - certainly the aspiration of the international community.
MATT BROWN: Is it realistic?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well, it has to be realistic because we can't allow, we can't afford to allow Pakistan, given its strategic significance, to fall into the hands of terrorists.
