Image dented but remedial measures afoot, says new Australian envoy

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New Delhi, Sep 24 (Inditop.com) Brand Australia’s image has been dented by the wave of violence against Indian students in recent months, the country’s new envoy to India said Thursday, adding that corrective steps are under way to ensure zero tolerance to such incidents.

“Considering the intensity of the negative publicity that we have received, yes, I share Victoria state premier John Brumby’s feeling that the attacks have damaged our brand and the Australian brand in India,” said the country’s new high commissioner Peter Varghese addressing his first press conference after presenting his credentials to President Pratibha Patil.

“I hope we can restore some of that ground. Practical and effective steps are being undertaken so that these incidents don’t happen again. I am not here for damage control, I have a positive agenda,” said Varghese, 53, a diplomat of Indian origin who migrated to Australia as a child.

Brumby is currently in the capital to give safety assurances after similar high-profile trips in the last two months by Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Evans, Treasurer Wayne Swan and education group manager Colin Walters.

Spelling out some of the areas that he would like to focus on, Varghese said he wanted Australia to be a reliable partner for India’s energy security, work towards the conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and give high priority to the security dialogue.

“We are upgrading law and enforcement, increasing police resources and taking measures to strengthen the visa programme so that genuine students are not put in trouble,” he said.

“The attacks against international students are not motivated by embedded racism. Look, for a country that followed a White Australia policy many years back, there has been a huge transformation. Almost 40 percent of Australians have a parent born overseas.”

Varghese said the Indian media’s reporting of the attacks in Australia had been robust but he did not agree with all the issues raised by the coverage.

On energy security, Varghese pointed out that the focus was on coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG) and a long-term agreement with India for 20 years amounting to $20 billion had been concluded for LNG.

He said the Australian government’s position on sale of uranium was limited to those countries who were signatories of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and reiterated his country’s long-standing policy.

Refusing to name a time when the FTA would come to fruition, Varghese said a feasibility study had just been concluded and the same would go to the respective governments for consideration.

Prior to his current posting, Varghese was the director general of the Office of National Assessments (ONA) in Canberra, reporting directly to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

The ONA provides the prime minister and the National Security Committee of Cabinet with assessments of international political, strategic and economic developments affecting Australia’s national interests. It is also responsible for coordinating and evaluating Australia’s foreign intelligence activities.

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