Quad meet marks 'return to normalcy,' says Australian Envoy Barry O'Farrell

New Delhi: Ahead of the Quad foreign ministers meeting in Melbourne, Australian high commissioner Barry O'Farrell to India has said that the meeting is a "return to normal, pre-pandemic in-person diplomacy."

Speaking exclusively to Zee Media’s diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Envoy Barry called the "Incredibly important meeting" a demonstration of "4 countries talking about the need to maintain a rules-based order within our region.” 

On Friday, the Foreign ministers of India, Australia, the US-Japan met in Melbourne for an in-person meeting coming after a gap of over one year. The last such offline meeting was held in Japan in 2020. 

In Delhi, Indian and Australian Trade Ministers announced that an Interim FTA will be finalised in a month's time.  

Meanwhile, on the possibility of India, Australia, France Trilateral in Paris, the envoy said that the 3 countries have, "never lost sight" of "our commitment to the Indo pacific".  

Ties between Australia, France had nosedived after the Aukus pact between Washington, London and Canberra, a fallout that was seen in other trilateral. 

Herer are experts from Zee Media’s interaction with Australian high commissioner Barry O'Farrell 

How do you see the Quad meet that happened in your country, in terms of its significance? 

This incredibly important meeting demonstrated so by the in-person presence of foreign ministers of 4 countries talking about the need to maintain a rules-based order within our region, said O'Farrell.

That fits nicely with what we doing in Delhi. Both Indian and Australian governments are trying to prioritise growth to make counting strong at a time of geopolitical uncertainty 

China has hit out at Quad, what do you have to say about that?

The great thing about this thing is Quad countries continue to do what they do, practical things impacting people's lives in the Indo Pacific, from climate change to health to secure supply chains to build the economies. What we doing in Delhi today is in line with what Quad wants, which is a free, open, secure and prosperous Indo Pacific, rules-based system, said O'Farrell.

It has been decided that Interim FTA will come into being in a month's time, how do u see conversations going?

The progress is surely being made however, our PM will issue a statement once he gets a report on this, said Barry O'Farrell adding that his country desire to maximize the opportunity within both countries to assist each other to grow economies, to create jobs, to give people better-living standards and deliver free open secure and prosperous Indo Pacific.

Tourism MoU was also signed, how will it help in increasing tourism?

The MoU will make it incredibly easy for Indians to come to Australia from February 21 when our borders are completely open. Better than that, both countries have no cost visas currently.

But this is just a return to what was happening pre-pandemic when we saw strong tourism between India and Australia, not just Indians coming to Australia but Australians coming to India to see some great sites in this incredible country. 

Can we see more high-level visits between the 2 sides? 

What we have seen with the Quad meeting today is a return to normal, the normal of in-person meetings. We have seen trade negotiators from Australia this week,  our trade minister meeting face to face with your minister. We will see ministers going to Australia in a couple of months. This will be returned to normal, said Barry O'Farrell:  

Your FM going to France, an important visit. Will we see India, France and Australia trilateral, given Aukus somewhat might turn the wheel back? 

One thing that France, Australia, India have never lost sight of is our commitment to the Indo Pacific, the commitment to secure Indo Pacific, its security and its environmental protection. Fact that my FM is going to Paris later this month is a great thing, but will trilateral happen is up to Indian EAM and French FM as well 

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