Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says that Australia will not tolerate violence against Indians, or any other person on its soil.

 

 [Stephen Smith, Australian Foreign Minister]:

"We have zero tolerance for assaults on any individual in Australia. We have zero tolerance for assault on Indians in Australia, we have zero tolerance for assaults on anyone else who comes to Australia. Regrettably, we know, as I said to our parliament, that there have been some racial or racist overtones to a small number of those assaults, and we condemn that absolutely."

 

Smith is on a three-day visit to India to hold talks with the country’s top leadership to discuss issues to strengthen bilateral ties. 

 

Australia has witnessed a series of incidents involving locals attacking Indians over the past 18 months. India says the attacks were racially fuelled, while Australia says they were criminally motivated.

 

Around 4,000 Indian students cancelled their plans to study in Australia after the attacks. The foreign student market is Australia's third-largest foreign exchange earner, worth an equivalent US$12 billion in 2007-08.

 

Smith inspects work at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, one of the Commonwealth Games venues in New Delhi. He seems satisfied with preparations for the Games, which will be held in New Delhi in October.

 

[Stephen Smith, Australian Foreign Minister]:

"We are very confident that the Commonwealth Games will be a triumph for India and a triumph for the Commonwealth. And I'm very pleased to be advised that the stadium here will be ready well in advance of the Games, and will be ready for a tremendous competition." 

 

India came under severe criticism when the construction of several venues — including the athletes' village — fell behind schedule, forcing the postponement of many international meetings planned as test events.