Wednesday, 13 January 2021, 3:24 pm
Australia’s Foreign Minister, Marise Payne, said little
in the statement
from her department, which was a good thing, as it might
have been dangerously useful. The finding of a UK court on
whether Julian Assange would be extradited to the United
States was made “on the grounds of his mental health and
consequent suicide risk.” She does not care to mention the
actual details of the case, the fact that the decision
by District Judge Vanessa Baraitser, while blocking the
extradition, was nastily focused against
journalism.
Payne insists on objective distance from
the proceedings. “Australia is not a party to the case and
Both sides should calm down and move on following Trump s election concession08/01/2021|5min
Former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says both sides should “calm down” following President Donald Trump’s concession of the election and “move on” instead of introducing impeachment measures.
“My reaction to his address is positive because that’s what he should have said straight after the election which he clearly lost,” Mr Downer told Sky News.
“I think our view would have to be tempers on all sides should now calm down and let the transition take place on January 20.”
Mr Downer said the speech has come “late”, but President Trump’s comments were “appropriate” and would hopefully calm emotions.
Indonesia is releasing alleged Bali bombing mastermind Abu Bakar Bashir Here s what you need to know - 08-Jan-2021 nzcity.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nzcity.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Former foreign minister Alexander Downer says the UK's exit from the European Union has unfolded exactly the way "the Brexiteers had hoped it would pan out".
"My expectation was once the British parliament agreed to proceed with the results of the referendum – and there were real question marks because some members of parliament wanted another referendum to reverse the decision of the first one – but once that had all passed, it's common sense the EU and UK would continue free-trading goods," he said.
"I think from the point of view of the Brexiteers . this is a very good agreement. They've got pretty much everything they wanted.
"They've got a return of British sovereignty, they've got free trade in goods, they are now free of all of the EU institutions including the European Court of Justice, so they'll be very happy with it."
Mr Downer said the Brexit deal was good news for Australia, and he was confident an
AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER DOWNER ASSURES NAURU’S PRESIDENT HARRIS ABOUT Submitted by admin on Mon, 06/17/2002 - 00:00
BOAT PEOPLE PROCESSING
ADELAIDE, Australia (June 15, 2002 – Radio New Zealand International) Australia’s Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has told Nauru’s President Rene Harris that he is hopeful asylum seekers will soon leave the island.
The two men met in Adelaide to discuss Nauru’s involvement in Australia’s so-called Pacific solution.
The meeting follows an attack by Mr. Harris last week in which he described Australia’s decision to process asylum seekers offshore as a Pacific nightmare, saying Australia had not kept him informed of progress in the processing and had been slow delivering promised aid.