State Department cable concerning Australian Prime Minister Howard's upcoming trip to New York for the World Economic Forum. The cable states that PM Howard has expressed his support for Operation Enduring Freedom and the international effort against terrorism. The cable also mentions PM Howard's concerns over steel import/export and tariffs as well as general business relations by and between the U.S. and Australia.
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SECRET PTQ4883
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FM AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2120
INFO AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
AMCONSUL MELBOURNE
AMCONSUL PERTH
AMCONSUL SYDNEY
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI
DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
JOINT STAFF WASHDC
SECDEF WASHDC
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
INFO LOG-00 /000W
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 CANBERRA 000158
DECAPTIONED
EXDIS
MILITARY ADDRESSEES TAKE AS SPECAT EXCLUSIVE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2012
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MCAP, ETRD, AS
SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER HOWARD ON AUSTRALIA AND THE WAR ON
TERROR, TRADE ISSUES, AND HIS TRIP TO NEW YORK
(U) CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR J. THOMAS SCHIEFFER. REASON:
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PAGE 02 CANBER 00158 Or OF 02 240219Z
1.5 (B).
1. (S) SUMMARY: PRIME MINISTER HOWARD SAID HIS UPCOMING TRIP
TO NEW YORK FOR THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM WAS AIMED AT
BUSINESS CONTACTS HE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE WHEN SEPTEMBER 11 CUT
SHORT HIS LAST U.S. VISIT. THE PM SAID AUSTRALIA'S
COMMITMENT OF FORCES TO OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM WAS FIRM,
B1
.
1
THE
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY: SHARON E AHMAD
DOS-002432
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DATE/CASE ID: 24 NOV 2004 200303827
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PM WARNED THAT A U.S. DECISION TO LEVY HIGH TARIFFS ON
AUSTRALIAN STEEL IMPORTS WOULD ENCOUNTER A STRONG NEGATIVE
REACTION IN AUSTRALIA AND CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR THE OVERALL
BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP. END SUMMARY.
2. (U) PRIME MINISTER HOWARD MET AMBASSADOR SCHIEFFER
ONE-ON-ONE IN THE PM'S SYDNEY OFFICE ON JANUARY 23 AT THE
AMBASSADOR'S REQUEST. THE PURPOSE OF THE 45-MINUTE CALL WAS
TO DISCUSS HOWARD'S UPCOMING TRIP TO THE «UNITED» «STATES».
BUSINESS FOCUS FOR NEW YORK TRIP
3. (C) HOWARD SAID THAT THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF HIS JANUARY
28-FEBRUARY 2 TRIP TO NEW YORK WAS TO TALK WITH BUSINESS
REPRESENTATIVES WHOM THE PM WAS UNABLE TO MEET WHEN THE
SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS FORCED CANCELLATION OF HIS PLANNED NEW
YORK STOP AFTER MEETING PRESIDENT BUSH IN WASHINGTON. HOWARD
NOTED THAT HE WOULD BE PARTICIPATING IN A FEBRUARY 1 PANEL ON
"BUILDING A COALITION FOR A STABLE WORLD: WHO WILL SHARE IN
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PAGE 03 CANBER 00158 01 OF 02 240219Z
THR RURDEN?" WITH SECRETARY POWELLA
THE PM SAID THAT HE HAD NO SPECIAL
NEEDS FROM THE USG FOR THE NEW YORK TRIP, DURING WHICH HE AND
HIS WIFE WILL RENDEVOUS WITH HIS TWO GROWN SONS WHO ARE
CURRENTLY VACATIONING IN CANADA.
AUSTRALIA'S COMMITMENT TO WAR ON TERRORISM
4. (S) THE PM REITERATED THAT HIS GOVERNMENT WAS FIRMLY
COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE INTERNATIONAL COALITION AGAINST
TERRORISM AND PLEASED THAT AUSTRALIAN FORCES HAD BEEN ABLE TO
MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION. 1
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DOS-002433
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«.
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AL-QAEDA DETAINEE»
5. (S) HOWARD SAID THAT HIST
'LOOMING PROBLEM: STEEL TARIFFS
6. (C) TURNING TO TRADE ISSUES, HOWARD SAID HE WOULD TALK
ABOUT AN AUSTRALIAN-U.S. FREE TRADE AGREEMENT (FTA) WITH U.S.
BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVES DURING HIS TRIP TO NEW YORK.
HOWEVER, THE PM'S MAIN CONCERN AT THE PRESENT ON THE TRADE
FRONT WAS THE PROSPECT OF WHAT HE SAW AS PUNITIVE TARIFFS
AGAINST AUSTRALIAN EXPORTS OF CERTAIN. CATEGORIES OF STEEL IF
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SECRET PTQ4882
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ACTION SS-00
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FM AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2121
INFO AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
AMCONSUL MELBOURNE
AMCONSUL PERTH
AMCONSUL SYDNEY
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI
DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
JOINT STAFF WASHDC
SECDEF WASHDC
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
S E C R E T SECTION 02 OF 02 CANBERRA 000158
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DOS-002434
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
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Current Handling: EXDIS
Document Number: 2002CANBER00158 Channel: n/a
EXDIS
MILITARY ADDRESSEES TAKE AS SPECAT EXCLUSIVE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2012
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MCAP, ETRD, AS
SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER HOWARD ON AUSTRALIA AND THE WAR ON
TERROR, TRADE ISSUES, AND HIS TRIP TO NEW YORK
PRESIDENT BUSH DECIDES IN MARCH TO LEVY SUCH TARIFFS. THE
SECRET
PAGE 02 CANBER 00158 02 OF 02 240218Z
AMBASSADOR POINTED OUT THAT THE PROPOSAL TO LEVY TARIFFS
AGAINST STEEL WAS NOT DIRECTED AGAINST AUSTRALIA, BUT AGAINST
OTHER COUNTRIES THAT ARE DUMPING STEEL IN THE U.S. HOWARD
SAID /
STOP IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ON RETURN
7. (C) HOWARD MENTIONED THAT HE WOULD STOP IN SINGAPORE AND
INDONESIA ON HIS WAY BACK FROM THE U.S. /
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DOS-002435
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UNCLASSIFIEDCurrent Class: SECRET Current Handling: EXDIS Document Number: 2002CANBER00158 Page: 5 Channel: n/a
COMMENT
..(C)
SCHIEFFER
SECRET
« END OF DOCUMENT »
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DOS-002436
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