FED:Leaks won't hurt China relations:Gillard

AAP General News (Australia)
12-06-2010
FED:Leaks won't hurt China relations:Gillard

By Paul Osborne, Senior Political Writer

CANBERRA, Dec 6 AAP - A leaked secret United States cable showing Kevin Rudd suggested
force should be used against China will do nothing to hurt Australian-Sino relations,
Prime Minister Julia Gillard says.

Cables released by WikiLeaks have revealed that the then prime minister warned US Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton in March last year to be prepared to use force against China
"if everything goes wrong".

Mr Rudd also told Ms Clinton during a meeting in Washington that China was "paranoid"

about Taiwan and Tibet, and that his ambitious plan for an Asia-Pacific community was
intended to blunt Chinese influence.

Ms Gillard said she would not comment on the details of the leaked cables.

But Australia had a strong and frank relationship with China in which it could express
its views and opinions, she said.

"Expressing our views and opinions being frank doesn't hurt the relationship," Ms Gillard
told ABC Television on Monday night.

"I don't anticipate these reports will make any difference at all to our relationship
with China."

Mr Rudd said Australia had a two-pronged approach to China - helping it take part in
more regional and global bodies, and being a frank friend.

"We have been plain with our Chinese friends over the last three years - where we have
a disagreement we will ... be firm about standing up for our values and our interests,"

Mr Rudd told reporters in Canberra on Monday.

Asked about his comments on the use of force, Mr Rudd said it was Australia's duty
to "make provision for the long-term defence of Australia's national security interests".

"The business of diplomacy is not just to roll over and have your tummy tickled," he said.

Mr Rudd said WikiLeaks was making global diplomacy difficult as big issues such as
the Korean conflict arose.

"If diplomacy gets it wrong on that (Korea) we will all pay a big price. So, these
challenges don't just go into suspended animation while we work our way though this stuff,"

Mr Rudd said.

Mr Rudd also called on the US to tighten access to its intelligence network, which
is estimated to be accessible to at least two million people worldwide.

Attorney-General Robert McClelland said he believed the release of the cables could
threaten the lives of people providing information to intelligence and law enforcement
officials.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) were not only looking at whether any Australian
law had been breached by WikiLeaks founder and Australian citizen Julian Assange, but
would help US law enforcement authorities in their investigations, he said.

Australian Greens leader Bob Brown said the government had a responsibility to look
after Mr Assange as an Australian citizen.

"He's been convicted of nothing," Mr Brown told reporters in Hobart.

Mr Brown said leaking the information was not a crime.

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop said Mr Rudd's comments to Ms Clinton
needed further explanation.

"I don't believe that that's an appropriate piece of advice for Mr Rudd to give the
United States," Ms Bishop said.

"I call on Julia Gillard to detail whether this remains the view of the Labor government."

AAP ah/cdh

KEYWORD: WIKILEAKS AUST 2ND WRAP

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