UNIT 4
INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
AREA OF STUDY 2:
AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN POLICY
INTRODUCTION TO
FOREIGN POLICY
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_affairs
http://www.dfat.gov.au/
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (IR)
International relations (IR) or International Studies
(IS) represents the study of foreign affairs and global
issues among states within the international system,
including the roles of states, inter-governmental
organizations (IGOs), non-governmental organizations
(NGOs), and multinational corporations (MNCs).
► Apart from political science, IR draws upon such diverse
fields as economics, history, law, philosophy, geography,
sociology, anthropology, psychology, and cultural studies. It
involves a diverse range of issues including but not limited
to: globalization, state sovereignty, ecological sustainability,
nuclear proliferation, nationalism, economic development,
global finance, terrorism, organized crime, human security,
foreign interventionism and human rights.
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Remember the
Treaty of Westphalia 1648
(Germany)
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The history of international relations is often traced back to
the Peace of Westphalia of 1648, where the modern state
system was developed.
Prior to this, the European medieval organization of
political authority was based on a vaguely hierarchical
religious order.
Westphalia instituted the legal concept of sovereignty,
which essentially meant that rulers, or the legitimate
sovereigns, had no internal equals within a defined
territory and no external superiors as the ultimate authority
within the territory's sovereign borders.
A simple way to view this is that sovereignty says, "I'm not
allowed to tell you what to do and you are not allowed to
tell me what to do."
FOREIGN POLICY (FP)
►A
country's foreign policy, also called the
international relations policy, is a set of goals
outlining how the country will interact with other
countries economically, politically, socially and
militarily, and to a lesser extent, how the country
will interact with non-state actors.
► Foreign policies are designed to help protect a
country's national interests, national security,
ideological goals, and economic prosperity. This
can occur as a result of peaceful cooperation with
other nations, or through exploitation.
CREATION OF FOREIGN POLICY
► Usually,
creating foreign policy is the job of the
head of government and the foreign minister (or
equivalent). In some countries the legislature also
has considerable oversight. As an exception, in
France and Finland, it is the head of state who is
responsible for foreign policy, while the head of
government mainly deals with internal policy. In
the United States, the head of state (the
President) also functions as the head of
government.
AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN POLICY
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Until the Second World War, Australia's status as a dominion of the
British Empire then realm in the British Commonwealth meant its
foreign relations were mostly defined by the United Kingdom. During
this time, Australia's overseas activities were predominately related to
trade and commercial interests, while its external affairs were
concerned mostly with immigration, exploration and publicity.
The political and economic changes wrought by the Great Depression
and Second World War, and the adoption of the Statute of
Westminster, necessitated the establishment and expansion of
Australian representation overseas, independent of the British Foreign
and Commonwealth Office. Australia began to establish its first
overseas missions (outside of London) in 1940, beginning with
Washington, D.C., and now has a network of over 80 diplomatic (and
22 trade) posts.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (renamed from 'external affairs' in
1970) and the Department of Trade were amalgamated by the Hawke
Labor Government to form DFAT on 24 July 1987.
Australian Government Department
of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
► The
department's role is to advance the interests
of Australia and Australians internationally. This
involves working to strengthen Australia's security;
enhancing Australia's prosperity; and helping
Australian travellers and Australians overseas.
► The department provides foreign and trade policy
advice to the government. We work with other
government agencies to ensure that Australia's
pursuit of its global, regional and bilateral interests
is coordinated effectively.
► http://www.dfat.gov.au/dept/index.html
The Role of DFAT
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The department's role is to advance Australia's national interest. This involves
working to strengthen Australia's security and enhance Australia's prosperity.
The department provides foreign and trade policy advice to the government.
We work with other government agencies to ensure that Australia's pursuit of
its global, regional and bilateral interests is coordinated effectively.
DFAT is the lead agency managing Australia's international presence. We
manage a network of 89 overseas posts in five continents and we have over
3600 staff - including locally engaged staff - located in Canberra, state and
territory offices and overseas posts.
Our officers are highly skilled at their work which includes developing and
implementing foreign and trade policy, negotiating international agreements
and delivering high quality consular assistance. This business is often
conducted in one of the 29 foreign languages in which DFAT staff are
proficient. We have an information, communications and technology (ICT)
platform that allows us to transmit classified and unclassified messages quickly
across our overseas network.
The department's objective is to reduce the risks and make the most of
opportunities for Australia in our regional and global environment. Our purpose
is to ensure that our structures - such as procedures for advising ministers,
consular contingency planning, passport services, ICT platforms, staff
deployment strategies, effective resource management and the scope of
overseas representation - are carefully targeted to meet our goals.
http://www.dfat.gov.au/dept/whatwedo.html
Australian Foreign Policy Objectives
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The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has
six key goals, as stated on its website:
http://www.dfat.gov.au/dept/whatwedo.html
Enhance Australia's security
Contribute to growth in Australia's economy, employment
and standard of living
Assist Australian travellers and Australians overseas
Strengthen global cooperation in ways that advance
Australia's interests
Foster public understanding of Australia's foreign and trade
policy and project a positive image of Australia
internationally
Manage efficiently the Commonwealth's overseas owned
estate.
Foreign and trade policy
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Australia’s foreign and trade policies promote the security and longterm prosperity of Australia in a global context.
The three pillars of Australia’s international engagement are:
Active participation in the institutions of global governance, including
the United Nations and the World Trade Organization,
Enhancing Australia’s alliance relationship with the United States, and
Diplomatic and economic engagement in the dynamic and diverse
Asia-Pacific region.
Key international policy objectives include:
reducing the threat to Australians from terrorism, the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction and transnational crime, including drug
trafficking, people smuggling and money laundering;
contributing to a comprehensive and effective international response
to climate change and global poverty;
developing market access opportunities for Australian exports of goods
and services and promoting productive two-way investment flows;
providing Australians with high-quality passport and consular services,
including responses to major crises;
projecting a positive image of Australia as a tolerant, open, just and
egalitarian society and promoting Australia’s attractiveness as an
international partner in education, research and innovation.
Australian Neighbours (NZ & ASIA)
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Australia has strong relations with the major states of
North Asia – China, Japan and the Republic of Korea –
countries which are also our major markets. Relations with
India are also growing strongly. Australia also has active,
long-standing and close bilateral ties with Indonesia and
the other member nations of ASEAN in South-East Asia.
Australia strongly supports closer regional integration and
plays a key role in regional architecture. Australia is an
active member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Regional
Forum (ARF) and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).
Australia works closely with New Zealand and Pacific island
states to promote sustainable development, good
governance and regional stability in the South Pacific,
including through Australia’s long-term Pacific Development
Partnerships. Australia has an ongoing commitment to
coordinate the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon
Islands (RAMSI).
Australian and the USA
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our region, Australia enjoys strong
economic, security, political, social and cultural ties
with the United States and Canada.
► The United States’ system of security alliances,
including ANZUS, is crucial to maintaining peace
and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
► Australia contributes to international peace,
security and development through its participation
in international security forces in Afghanistan and
East Timor.
Australian and Europe
► Australia
and Europe are building on our strong
and long-standing political, cultural, trade and
investment, and people-to-people links to advance
our shared interests.
► Australia is committed to building a broad-based,
creative partnership with the European Union,
addressing the contemporary challenges of climate
change, development, international trade, security,
and building a stronger system of international
governance.
Australian and the Middle East,
Africa & Latin America
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Australia has significant people-to-people links and growing
trade and investment interests in the strategically
important Middle East. Australia supports the Middle East
Peace Process.
In Africa, Australia has longstanding bilateral ties,
especially with fellow Commonwealth nations, and growing
trade and investment interests and people-to-people
connections.
Australia cooperates with Latin American countries in a
range of international fora to pursue common foreign and
trade policy interests, including in the Cairns Group.
Australia also has warm relations with Caribbean countries.
Australia and the UN
Australia has a strong record in providing development assistance and responding to
humanitarian crises in our region and beyond. Australia partners with less developed
countries to help them meet their Millennium Development Goals. We are committed to
increasing Australia’s aid to 0.5 per cent of Gross National Income by 2015, reflecting our
determination to play a larger role in sustainable development, reducing poverty,
inequality and lack of governance that feed instability.
► Australia was one of the 50 founding members of the United Nations in 1945 and has
long supported the organisation’s central role in world affairs. Australia is seeking a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council in 2013-14 so that it can contribute actively
to the critical role that the UN plays in maintaining the rules-based international order
that underpins global security and prosperity.
► Australia is strongly committed to supporting the efforts of the United Nations and other
components of the multilateral system to tackle the complex global challenges that no
country can address on its own. These include climate change, the loss of biodiversity,
ongoing conflicts and human rights abuses, the spread of WMD and transnational
terrorism and crime.
► By ratifying the Kyoto Protocol in 2007 – and committing to a target of cutting national
greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent by 2050 – Australia has underscored its
intention to contribute to international efforts to develop effective solutions to one of the
greatest challenges for international society.
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Australia and
Terrorism & Nuclear Disarmament
Regional and international cooperation is essential to counter terrorism.
Australian assistance gives priority to law enforcement, intelligence
cooperation, border control, transport security, legal frameworks, countering
terrorist financing and preventing terrorists’ access to chemical, biological,
radiological and nuclear materials. Australia is also active in promoting
tolerance and countering terrorist propaganda.
► One of the main threats to Australia’s security is the spread of weapons of
mass destruction (WMD). Australia has responded to this challenge by working
with multilateral institutions like the International Atomic Energy Agency to
ensure the peaceful spread of nuclear energy is not diverted to nuclear
weapons programs. Australia has also been active in promoting, particularly in
the Asia-Pacific region, effective controls in international trade in sensitive
materials and technology to help deny access to those seeking to develop
WMD and ballistic missiles.
► Australia is strongly committed to progressing nuclear disarmament and to
strengthening the multilateral disarmament regime. Australia plays a
constructive and active role in negotiations in multilateral disarmament fora
and promotes nuclear disarmament through our bilateral relationships,
including with states possessing nuclear arsenals.
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Australian Trade Policy
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Central to Australia’s trade policy approach are the twin pillars of trade
reform at the border through multilateral, regional and bilateral
negotiations, and economic reform behind the border to improve
Australia’s international competitiveness.
Achieving multilateral trade reform through an ambitious outcome to
the WTO Doha Round of trade negotiations is Australia’s highest
negotiating priority.
Australia is a strong supporter of market access reform across the
board – in agriculture and industrial goods, and in services.
Australia is one of the world’s most efficient agricultural producers and
works actively to promote agricultural trade reform through chairing
the Cairns Group coalition at the WTO.
Australia and Regional Forums
e.g. APEC
► Australia
is committed to further strengthening the
APEC forum as a means of promoting regional
prosperity and security, alongside other key
regional fora including the EAS and the ARF.
APEC’s 21 member economies account for 70 per
cent of Australia’s exports and almost half of world
trade.
► Key priorities include advancing APEC’s regional
trade and investment liberalisation agenda and
promoting further structural economic reform in
APEC member economies.
Australia and Free Trade
► Australia’s
global trade liberalisation efforts are
reinforced by regional and bilateral trade
agreements. Australia has free trade agreements
(FTAs) with New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand and
the United States.
► Australia is negotiating FTAs with a number of
other key trading partners; specifically Chile
(where negotiations have concluded), China,
Japan, Malaysia, ASEAN and the Gulf Cooperation
Council.