Australian PM to meet Pakistan President
Updated
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is travelling to Southern China for a meeting with the Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. He plans to raise concerns about Pakistan's lacklustre efforts to support the nations fighting terrorism in Afghanistan.
Presenter: Dana Robertson
Speakers: Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd; Climate Change Minister Penny Wong; Australian Greens Senator Christine Milne.
ROBERTSON: Since September 2001, Pakistan has been a vital ally in the wests war against terrorism but there have been near constant complaints from western forces that it's not doing enough to support their fight.
And Kevin Rudd is set to add his voice to the chorus when he meets the Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf when for the first time this evening.
RUDD: I'll be seeking to engage President Musharraf on what Pakistan can do to underpin efforts of the United States and its allies in Afghanistan in what is a difficult and protracted war. I understand fully the complexities in Pakistan's domestic politics, I understand the difficulties which that presents. Nonetheless, I believe I have a responsibility to engage directly on these questions in that direction.
ROBERTSON: The last minute bilateral meeting will happen on the sidelines of an asian leaders summit in southern china.
Mr Rudd wants the meeting because, he says, without Pakistan's full co-operation - the Afghanistan strategy agreed to at the NATO meeting last week is meaningless.
He's especially concerned about Pakistan's lack of co-operation in stemming the tide of Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives across it's border with Afghanistan.
RUDD: And I'm concerned at the extent to which in recent months that cooperation has become less than it could be. This is not a black or white situation. There has been a significant contribution by Pakistan over time, but there could have been more, we want that to be better, thats why I and others are engaging Pakistan on this question.
ROBERTSON: The meeting comes at the end of Kevin Rudd's 16th day roaming the globe.
There's no better place that the pollution choked chinese capital to warn of the dangers of climate change and the focus today was as much on boosting his green credentials back home as it was on fighting China's massive carbon dioxide emissions.
The Prime Minister quoted from a newly released UN report to warn of the dangers to Australia of climate change.
RUDD: It says Australia's ongoing water security problems are likely to increase by 2030 in eastern Australia furthermore thre are likely to be alterations in the geographic range and seasonality of mosquito borne infectious diseases and furthermore large shifts in the geographical distribution of agriculture.
ROBERTSON: The Climate Change Minister Penny Wong who's with Mr Rudd in Beijing is also framing China's stance on global warming is vital to Australia's future.
WONG: We know there is no comprehensive global agreement unless China is closely engaged with the climate change issue. We also know Australia is vulnerable to climate change and we have a significant economic stake in ensuring an effective global response, so engagement with China is key, its critical.
ROBERTSON: That engagement was on display in full force today as Mr Rudd and Senator Wong toured a soon to be opened carbon capture project at a coal fired power station in Beijing.
The CSIRO project was funded by 4 million dollar Australian grant and while Mr Rudd's talking up the potential of clean coal. He admits this project only captures 1-2 percent of the plant's total emissions.
He calls it a small start.
RUDD: Climate change is a challenge for the world, it's a challenge for China, for Australia, and as Australia is the world's largest coal exporter country, China is the world's largest coal consuming country we have a particular responsibility to ensure we advance the overall technical and commercial challenge of clean coal.
ROBERTSON: But the Greens are furious.
Senator Christine Milne says the fact that Mr Rudd even visited a coal fired power station, instead of a renewable energy project, shows where his true priorities lie.
MILNE: We've heard alot about leadership on climate change but what we're seeing is climate change brought into the discussion of maximising Australia's coal exports.
ROBERTSON: But Mr Rudd won't easily be deterred, promising plenty more climate engagement with China..
Today he pledged another 20 million dollars for three projects, which he says will have thew added benefit of giving australian companies a start in the massive chinese market.
Tomorrow, the Prime Minister will wind up his 17 day global journey, the highlight of his final day will be a bilateral meeting with the Chinese President Hu Jintao.
