Australia accused of trading principles for African UN support

Australia's opposition accused the government Monday of being prepared to trade its principles for African support of its bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who has proclaimed a mission to take a more activist "middle power" role in world affairs, is sending the country's governor-general on a nine-nation African tour next week.

The government says the trip by Quentin Bryce -- the representative of Australia's head of state, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II -- is aimed at improving relations with the continent.

But the conservative opposition charges that she will also lobby the African governments to back Australia's drive for a Security Council seat in 2013-14, thereby compromising her position.

"We are concerned that the office of governor-general will be caught up in what will become a highly contentious international issue," said shadow foreign minister Julie Bishop.

"The strategy should not be to win a seat at any cost, either financially or by compromising our principles, and we should not get into the business of trading our principles to win support," she told public radio.

Bishop cited as an example Australia's planned attendance at a controversial UN conference on racism in Geneva next month despite the withdrawal of the United States, Canada, Israel and Italy.

The inaugural racism conference, held in the South African city of Durban in September 2001, saw a walk-out by Israel and US delegates in protest against a bid by Arab nations to adopt a resolution equating Zionism with racism.

"The perception is growing that Mr Rudd will be using our attendance at this conference to appease countries whose vote he's seeking to get so we get a seat on the security council," Bishop said.

"Now that will compromise our principles, our support for Israel and I'm concerned the governor-general does not get caught up in that."

Bryce will visit Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, the Seychelles, Tanzania and Zambia from March 15 to April 3.









Children play on top of rocky desert cliffs at sunset. AP Photo/Hasan Jamali