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Skriven 2007-02-24 23:31:20 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0702241) for Sat, 2007 Feb 24
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Vice President's Remarks with Australian Prime Minister John Howard
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For Immediate Release Office of the Vice President February 24, 2007

Vice President's Remarks with Australian Prime Minister John Howard The
Commonwealth Parliamentary Office Sydney, Australia

˙˙White House News



10:35 A.M. (Local)

PRIME MINISTER HOWARD: Well, ladies and gentlemen, I'm delighted to welcome
the Vice President of the United States to Australia. The Vice President
and I have had a very lengthy discussion in which we have canvassed Iraq,
Afghanistan, China, our relations with and the influence of Indonesia in
our region. We've had a bit of chit chat as politicians normally do on
occasions like this about world politics generally. And all of this is
taking place against the background of the very close, longstanding and
rock solid friendship and relationship between the people of Australia and
the people of the United States.

Vice President Cheney is a very welcome visitor to this country. He knows
it well. He came here frequently between his years of service with the
first Bush administration and his becoming Vice President.

As well as discussing the matters I've itemized, I spoke to him regarding
our concerns about the progress with the trial of David Hicks. I'll be
joining the Vice President -- or rather he will be joining me and some of
my senior colleagues for lunch at Kirribilli House. And we'll have the
opportunity during that lunch to continue our discussions. But, Dick,
you're very welcome. You're a good friend --

(Technical difficulties.)

PRIME MINISTER HOWARD: Well, did I tell you as well as talking about the
matters I've mentioned, I raised our concerns about David Hicks, is that
about where you dropped off? Is that about right?

Q Yes.

PRIME MINISTER HOWARD: Well, I did indicate to the Vice President our
concerns about the processes and the time involved in bringing David Hicks
to trial, as well as discussing that and the other matters I spoke about,
the Vice President and I will, along with some of my senior colleagues,
being having lunch at Kirribilli House later today. At that lunch we will
talk about some trade issues I intend to raise and some broader political
issues. But let me say again, Dick, you're very, very welcome in our
country. You have a long and warm and close association with Australia. We
value very much the determination and articulation you have brought to the
cause of the West in fighting the scourge of terrorism, and the
determination of your country and a determination that I feel and my
country shares to resist terrorism wherever it occurs, be it in
Afghanistan, in own part of the world, in Iraq, or, indeed, in any other
part of the world. It is a threat of different dimensions from ones we've
faced in the past, but the threat is no less lethal than ones the West has
previously faced. And we must remain -- and maintain our resolve in
resisting it.

For the best I can remember, that's what I said. (Laughter.)

VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: It sounded better the second time. (Laughter.)

I'm delighted to be here. And I want to thank Prime Minister Howard for his
gracious hospitality. We have been friends for a long time. And I've
visited Australia on many occasions, but it's always a special privilege to
come back, especially to Sydney, one of my favorite cities.

I want to also bring good wishes to everybody in Australia from our
President and from the people of the United States. I've made this journey
to focus on dialogue between our two countries, to thank the people of
Australia for the friendship that means so much to the United States. Prime
Minister Howard has spoken of the age old wisdom that we must keep our
friendships in good repair. And certainly, I believe our two nations have
lived by that wisdom.

Australians and Americans know each other. We respect and like each other.
We face common challenges with firmness and resolve. And rarely have the
challenges been so numerous and yet never before has our alliance been
stronger.

I had the privilege of meeting with members of the Australian Defence Force
who've demonstrated a great professionalism and courage in Afghanistan and
Iraq. Australia, of course, has been a staunch ally in the global war on
terror, and the conduct of the Australian Defence Forces reflects great
credit on the nation.

America is proud to count Australia as a skilled and a decisive ally. We
have much yet to do in Afghanistan and Iraq to defeat freedom's enemies and
to consolidate the gains for democracy. But we will honor our commitments,
and we'll remain on the offensive against the forces of extremism and
violence.

The U.S. and Australia face the world with open eyes, and we accept the
responsibilities of leadership. Our transpacific alliance will continue to
work to build security and stability throughout Southeast Asia, addressing
the dangers of weapons proliferation, extending the benefits of free
markets, and open trade, and confronting environmental challenges, as well.

Australia's contribution to security and to good governance in the Pacific
Island countries is principled. It's effective, and it's indispensable.
History has set a good deal of work in front of us, and none of it is easy.
Yet together we compose one of the world's great alliances, a broad and
successful partnership based on deep respect, shared values, and great
strength used to good purposes. And we look forward to the future with
confidence.

Finally, I note that next month Prime Minister Howard will mark 11 years as
the leader of this country. He has certainly borne up well under what Sir
Robert Menzies has called "the hammering of the times." John Howard's
integrity, his good counsel and his optimistic spirit have only
strengthened the warm friendship between our two countries and have added
to our effectiveness in the cause of freedom and security.

These have been crowded and decisive years, during which all of the world
has come to know John Howard as a man of wisdom and character. For myself
and for my country, I want to express our gratitude to the Prime Minister
for his friendship and for the leadership he's brought to our world.

Thank you.

PRIME MINISTER HOWARD: Okay, have two questions from each side. Olivier?

Q Thank you, Prime Minister. Thank you, Vice President. One for each of
you.

Mr. Vice President, you've said that the British draw-down from Iraq
reflects their success there and not domestic considerations. Did the
United States ask for them to redeploy those troops inside Iraq to take
some strain off the U.S. forces involved in the Baghdad Security Plan and
in al Anbar province? And if not, why not?

And to you, Prime Minister, the Vice President had some pretty tough words
for China yesterday. Do you agree that China's military build-up exceeds
their security needs? And what can China do specifically to ease concerns
about that?

VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: Well, the Brits have been great allies in the
efforts -- mutual efforts in Iraq. They have been there from the very
beginning, as have our Australian friends. They have to make decisions with
respect to their forces based upon what they think makes sense. Prime
Minister Blair did consult with President Bush in terms of moving forward,
and the comments I made reflected their communications with us, the fact
that they believe the situation has improved in Basra and southern Iraq,
which has been their prime area of operation.

They're going to continue to have a major presence there. They're also I
believe beefing up their operations in Afghanistan at the same time, so
we're very comfortable with their decision.

PRIME MINISTER HOWARD: In relation to China, Australia, as you know, has
striven over the last decade to build a very close relationship with China.
But we've always done it against a background of being realistic about the
nature of political society in that country. We have no illusions that
China remains an authoritarian country. We have sought to emphasize in our
relations with China those practical things that we have in common. And we
do, I hope, with appropriate modesty regard it as one of the foreign policy
successes of this country over the last decade that we have simultaneously
become ever closer in our relationship with our great ally the United
States, but at the same time built a very constructive, understandable
relationship with China.

But we always look at these things from a practical standpoint. We have no
false illusions about the nature of China's society. But we see positive
signs in the way in which China and the United States have worked together,
particularly in relation to North Korea. And nothing is more important to
the stability of our own region at the present time than resolving the
North Korean nuclear situation. And I think the way in which China and the
United States have worked together on that is wholly positive and is
obviously to the credit of both of those countries.

Jim.

Q Question I guess for both of you, but I'll ask specifically for the Vice
President. Would the United States like and, indeed, did you seek from the
Prime Minister any additional military support in Iraq? And given your
belief that Baghdad must be secured, why would the United States not want
more military support from its allies within the Sunni Triangle? And
secondly, would the U.S.-Australia alliance be damaged if Australia were to
withdraw its 500 combat -- I stress combat -- troops from Iraq?

VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: Well, I want to emphasize how much we appreciate
what our friends in Australia have done from the very beginning both in
Iraq and Afghanistan. The cooperation between our militaries has been
superb. The contribution on the part of the Australians has been
significant in every respect.

I also want to emphasize that decisions about what Australia does going
forward with respect to force levels is a decision for the government of
Australia. Those decisions are obviously going to be made by the Australian
government based on their considerations, as well as I would expect
conditions on the ground in that part of the world. It's not for us to
suggest to our allies what their appropriate response might be. But
certainly, I would say that the government has met our expectations in
every regard. Cooperation has been excellent.

Karen.

Q Damage to the alliance?

VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: I don't see any prospect of damage to the alliance.
I think this alliance has been solid. We've fought together in every major
conflict for the last hundred years. I remember coming here 15 years ago to
celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Coral Sea Battle. We do from time to
time, as all governments do in democracies, have differences of opinion on
various and sundry issues. But I think the alliance is rock solid. And we
are delighted with the way in which it has functioned in the latest
go-round. Americans always remember that John Howard was in America on 9/11
and spoke eloquently about the challenge that we face and has been a superb
leader and ally in the global war on terror ever since. And we have great
respect for that.

Q Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister. I'd like to ask the Vice President a
question about Iran. With Tehran ignoring the U.N. deadline to discontinue
and Ahmadinejad saying his country must stand up to the world, are you
frustrated with the pace of diplomacy on Iran? And also Secretary Rice has
said that the North Korea deal will serve as a model for Iran. And I'm just
wondering if you could elaborate on that and explain just exactly how? And
I'd be interested in the Prime Minister's thoughts about Iran, as well.

VICE PRESIDENT: Well, with respect to the second part of your question in
terms of the Secretary's view on North Korea as a model, you really ought
to direct those questions to Condi.

With respect to the first part of your question on Iran, we are deeply
concerned and have made it very clear we're deeply concerned about Iran's
activities. We see a nation that has been fairly aggressive in the Middle
East as a sponsor of Hezbollah, working through the Syrians and Hezbollah
to create problems for the government of Lebanon. They have made some
fairly inflammatory statements -- their President, Ahmadinejad. They appear
to be pursuing the development of nuclear weapons through uranium
enrichment. We've worked with the European Community and through the United
Nations to put in place a set of policies to persuade the Iranians to give
up their aspirations and to resolve the matter peacefully. That's still our
preference.

But I've also made the point and the President has made the point that all
options are still on the table. Next step now is being debated between our
government and the others involved. Nick Burns, the number three man in the
State Department, is I believe in London today to negotiate with our
European friends who have been in the effort, the Brits, the French and the
Germans, on the future course of action that we want to pursue with respect
to the United Nations sanctions and so forth. And I don't have anything
beyond that, that I can say at this point other than that we believe it
would be a serious mistake if a nation such as Iran were to become a
nuclear power.

PRIME MINISTER HOWARD: I guess, the only additional comment I'd made is in
the context of Iraq, I can't think of a country whose influence and
potential clout would be more enhanced in that part of the world than
Iran's would be if there were to be a coalition defeating Iraq. I don't
think you can separate the two. I think the impact on Iran and the way in
which Iran would be emboldened if there were a coalition defeat in Iraq.
And that would occur if there were a -- that would be seen to have occurred
if there were a precipitous coalition withdrawal. I think Iran would
benefit enormously from that, and that would to many in the Middle East --
not just the Israelis -- that would be a nightmare scenario.

John.

Q Prime Minister and Mr. Vice President, on the David Hicks issue, you said
you raised your concerns with the United States on Mr. Hicks. These
concerns have been made for some considerable time. Will the United States
allow David Hicks to be returned to Australia? Or could you both tell us
exactly whether he will now be presented to trial for the United States?

PRIME MINISTER HOWARD: Well, I did raise my concerns as I have on two
occasions recently with President Bush. The concern is about the time. I
make no judgment about guilt or innocence. I am no sympathizer of David
Hicks. I cannot believe that he was on some kind of hitchhiking tour in
Afghanistan. I don't think any person who examines the facts could possibly
believe that. And the charges against him are very serious, indeed. And
countries that have fighting men and women in Afghanistan have every right
to want those charges heard before a court.

He can't be tried in Australia for those alleged activities because they
were not crimes at the time they took place. Our sole concern is about the
passage of time and the bedrock principle of our legal system and that,
indeed, of the -- you might loosely call the Anglo-American legal system
that people should not be held indefinitely without trial. And that's the
view that I put.

And I have asked that within the constraints of the separation of powers in
the United States system between the executive and the judicial process
that the trial be brought on as soon as humanly possible and with no
further delay. And now I've put that very plainly and I've put it in the
context of direct speaking between close friends. It is an issue that
concerns me and concerns a lot of my fellow Australians.

We have always thought that the cause of justice was better served by him
facing a military commission with enhancements, including a presumption of
innocence, which is now entrenched in the process as a result of the most
recent piece of congressional legislation, an appeal to the Supreme Court
of the United States, and understanding between Australia and the United
States that the unexpired residue of any conviction that Hicks receives,
the term can be served in an Australian prison. In other words, the time
he's already spent can be deducted from any sentence. Now all of that is
understood. And I've put the view that the trial should be as soon as
humanly possible.

Now, I think the Vice President understands that. I'm sure he does. He can
speak for himself. I certainly put those views very strongly to the
President when I last spoke to him. And it's time not so much the merits of
the case that matter to me.

VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: And the Prime Minister is absolutely right about the
importance of moving forward as quickly as possible consistent with the
basic legal procedures and requirements that are appropriate. The reason
there have been delays when we got into this whole business of a global
conflict on terror, traditionally, of course, when you are at war, you are
allowed under international law to capture enemy combatants and then to
hold them. And once the war is over, we release them and send them back to
their home country. This is a very different situation where the combatants
are unlawful combatants under the international laws of war, and where
there's no ready made provision for how you're going to proceed under those
circumstances.

What we've done -- what we did initially was to establish military
commissions that would try those suspected of having violated the laws of
war in some fashion. The precedent for that under our law was -- dated back
to our Civil War in the 1860s, as well as during World War II when
commissions were used to try German saboteurs, for example. The Supreme
Court after World War II upheld the constitutionality of that commission
process. And so we went back and we used that to build the commissions that
we put in place in connection with the global war on terror. That was
challenged, went through a long process in the courts -- 20 some months in
terms of wending its way to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court this time
gave us a different decision than they had some 50 years before and this
time concluded that we had to have explicit authorization from the Congress
before we could set up these commissions and that certain requirements had
to be met.

We've now met those requirements. We've put the commissions -- created
commissions in a manner that's consistent with the Supreme Court's
decision, passed legislation through the last session of Congress and are
now moving forward.

Mr. Hicks is near the head of the queue, if I can put it in those terms. He
has been charged. The question that happens now -- or the issue that arises
now is under our procedures there is what's called a convening authority.
This is a quasi-judicial function inside the Department of Defense -- a
judge, in effect -- who will make the decision based on the charges that
have been presented as to whether or not a commission should be convened
for the purpose of trying this individual, in this case, Mr. Hicks. We
cannot interfere with that process. It is a judicial process. And we're not
allowed to call over and say when are you going to be through, or what are
you going to decide. We can't influence it. That would be a violation of
the procedures.

But I do expect in the not too distant future that piece of the process
will get resolved. Once they go to trial, if Mr. Hicks is found guilty, as
John said, we have agreed that he can serve his sentence here in Australia.
And of course, if he were not found guilty, then he'd presumably be
returned to Australia having been found innocent. But that's where we're at
now. There's no question that it's taken a long time, longer than I think
anybody would have desired. But a lot of that has been due to the fact that
we were trying to comply with our own legal processes. And in many cases,
lawsuits had been filed, decisions were required by the various courts
going through this process in terms of establishing the commissions and the
procedures that would be used in conjunction with them.

But the Prime Minister has been very direct with us. We appreciate his
candor. He's talked to the President about it, and we've discussed it again
this morning. And I can assure you we want to do everything we can to deal
with these matters in as expeditious a manner as possible consistent with
the statutes and the laws that apply in this case.

PRIME MINISTER HOWARD: Thank you.

END 10:58 A.M. (Local)

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