Hon Murray McCully
Minister of Foreign Affairs
1 September 2012 Media Statement
Trilateral statement: Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America
Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Richard Marles, New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully, and
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on 31 August 2012 to promote cooperation
in the Pacific. Australia and New Zealand welcomed the commitment of the United States to the Pacific demonstrated by
Secretary Clinton’s attendance at the Post Forum Dialogue.
The participants discussed their countries’ long-standing partnerships with the governments and peoples of Pacific
Island countries to promote economic growth, sustainable development, good governance and security. They affirmed their
common interest in advancing regional development in the Pacific, including by promoting effective and efficient
coordination of development assistance through the mechanisms provided for under the Cairns (Forum) Compact on
Strengthening Development Coordination in the Pacific.
The participants affirmed their intent to work jointly to encourage Fiji’s early return to democracy, including through
restoration of the rule of law, strengthening civil society, and rebuilding democratic institutions.
The participants expressed concern about the consequences of climate change, which represents an urgent environmental,
economic, development and security issue. They stressed the importance of dependable access to clean and affordable
energy to support sustainable economic development and welcomed the announcement that New Zealand would host a Pacific
Energy Conference in 2013.
They underscored the need to protect the region’s diverse fisheries in order to deliver equitable outcomes for Pacific
Island countries and ensure sustainable management of Pacific fisheries. They reiterated their support for successful
negotiations to extend the South Pacific Tuna Treaty on terms that ensure long-term economic benefits to the Pacific
region and contribute to the long-term sustainability of the region's fish stocks.
The participants noted the importance of maritime surveillance cooperation and coordination, with a view to enhancing
the capacity of Pacific Island countries. The United States discussed with Australia and New Zealand the effort to
expand shiprider opportunities with Pacific Island countries, to help bolster maritime security in the region. Australia
and New Zealand also welcomed the announcement by the United States of new efforts to fund training, assessment and
clean-up of unexploded ordnance, a legacy of World War II, in several Pacific Island countries.
The participants stressed the importance of promoting gender equality and empowering women in the Pacific. They welcomed
and endorsed the Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration issued by the leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum, as well
as the Joint Statement on the Rarotonga Dialogue on Gender Equality issued by dialogue participants.
The participants welcomed the gender initiatives made at the Forum; the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Developments and the Rarotonga Partnership for the Advancement of Pacific Islands Women.
Secretary Clinton, Minister McCully and Parliamentary Secretary Marles concurred that the opportunity for discussion on
matters of common interest had been valuable and noted their intention that the three countries continue such
discussions in the future.
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