Alexander Downer
Alexander Downer
Alexander John Gosse Downer, ACis a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was Foreign Minister of Australia from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007, the longest-serving in Australian history. He was also the Leader of the Opposition for eight months from 1994 to 1995. Until early February 2014, Downer was the United Nations Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Cyprus...
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth9 September 1951
intelligence people services supporting
We want to keep supporting the Indonesian government, the Indonesian police, the Indonesian intelligence services and, of course, the people of Indonesia,
east indonesia security situation
We have said many times before that ... at the very least, Indonesia is responsible for the security situation in East Timor,
access crucial european market meeting offer progress successful union
We want to see progress on agriculture, we want to see the European Union come back with a better market access offer that's going to be crucial to a successful meeting in Hong Kong,
armed disarm east falls force forces good job move perform police recent sides stop task violence
The onus of that task falls on the armed forces and the police force in East Timor and they haven't done a good job in recent times. It's important that they perform more effectively and do everything they can to stop the violence and move to disarm the two sides -- the paramilitaries and the pro-independence side,
overnight reports
Reports that I've had in now overnight are, I must admit, pretty bad,
arms control including issues measures missile nuclear prevent raise regional security
I will raise bilateral issues and regional security concerns, including measures to prevent nuclear and missile proliferation and other arms control objectives,
equipment hide people sorts suppose
I suppose people could hide all sorts of equipment in all sorts of clothing,
absolute appeals community deeply direct disregard efforts encourage exercise government reason restraint shown sincere turned
It is deeply regrettable that the Pakistani government has shown absolute disregard for the many direct appeals to exercise restraint and has willfully turned its back on the sincere efforts of the international community to encourage reason to prevail.
came course letter looking outside police suggest
Well, I'm not going to go into what the letter says, because the police are looking at that. But as you say it's in Bahasa. But of course that's not to suggest that the letter came from outside of Australia. It came from in Australia. It came from Victoria.
diplomatic hope path possible
We hope that it's going to be possible to get back on to the diplomatic path before too long,
aspect australian disappoint discussion intelligence time tradition worn
Well, it's a - I don't want to disappoint you, but it's a time worn tradition of Australian Governments over many years not to get into any discussion about that aspect of intelligence matters.
components export fully mass weapons worry
nothing to worry about if they don't export components or fully made-up weapons of mass destruction.
allies among asia crisis diplomatic north nuclear region security solution stability top trading vital year
A constructive, diplomatic solution to North Korea's nuclear crisis, which escalated just over a year ago, is vital for the security of our region and stability in North Asia and among our allies and top trading partners,
advice defence turn
I'm not criticising the defence team, because I don't set myself up as the person who they should turn to for advice on their defence.