All nations must fight terrorism, says Howard

AUSTRALIAN Prime Minister John Howard warned that every nation must play its part in the fight against global terrorism, as he addressed the Dáil yesterday.

In a wide-ranging 20 minute speech Mr Howard said no country was immune to the “scourge of indiscriminate, lethal and cruel nature of modern terrorism” which everyone had a responsibility to fight.

As several independent TDs boycotted the speech in protest at Australia’s support of the war in Iraq, Mr Howard was positive about the prospects for “a better and more secure future for the people of Iraq.”

“I believe that the formation of an all-party Government in that country does represent something of a watershed,” he said.

However, the issue of Iraq drew considerable criticism from the Green Party and Sinn Féin, both of which handed over letters of protest to Mr Howard.

Green Party leader Trevor Sargent also criticised numerous Australian policies during Dáil Leaders’ Questions including the country’s refusal to sign the Kyoto agreement, increased uranium exports and the widespread destruction of wildlife in Tasmania.

But the most trenchant criticism came from a group of six independent TDs led by Socialist Party leader Joe Higgins.

In addition to Mr Higgins, Tony Gregory, Finian McGrath, Jerry Cowley, Seamus Healy and Catherine Murphy put their names to a statement accusing the Australian premier of being an “instigator of vicious anti trade union legislation; a peddler of anti-immigrant lies, and a facilitator of the occupation of Iraq.”

Touching on another controversial area in his speech, Mr Howard expanded on his criticism of the EU’s agricultural subsidies which he believes Europe needs to significantly abolish if progress is to be made to secure a world trade talks deal.

“I understand the importance of the common agricultural policy to the Irish people...but I also understand that unless progress is made in agricultural reform it will be very difficult indeed for satisfactory progress to occur,” he said.

But those comments were greeted with alarm from Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness.

“Contrary to what the Prime Minister has said the EU has already given a generous concession. The issue is that concession was given so early in the negotiations, it was unwise tactically,” she said.