FED:Labor fails on foreign policy: Abbott

AAP General News (Australia)
08-10-2010
FED:Labor fails on foreign policy: Abbott

CANBERRA, Aug 10 AAP - Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has dumped on the government for
mishandling key relationships with Japan, Indonesia and India.

A coalition government would return Australia's standing internationally, he said.

"Australia well and truly punched above its weight right around the world under the
former (coalition) government," he told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.

"Now I'm not saying it's been absolutely all doom and gloom since then but certainly
some important relationships have been mishandled."

Mr Abbott cited the Oceanic Viking standoff in 2009 as a particularly low point in
bilateral relations with Indonesia.

The government also had neglected Japan, which remained a "critically important trade
and security partner".

The relationship with India had been mishandled, but Mr Abbott believes a coalition
government could easily broker a more friendly discourse by allowing uranium exports.

"If it is good enough for the Americans to sell them uranium it should be good enough
for us," he said.

AAP cj/rl/mm

KEYWORD: POLL10 FOREIGN

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.