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Australia's tough policy on asylum seekers had not tarnished the nation's image abroad and foreign governments generally sympathised with Australia's predicament, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today.

Mr Downer, who is in Russia, said the issue of whether or not a United Nations envoy would be allowed to inspect the detention centre at Woomera would be considered by cabinet next week.

He said Australia's reputation remained enormously high everywhere he went in the world, even though some journalists clearly didn't like the Australian government or its policies.

"I don't think this is an issue that affects Australia's reputation," he said on ABC radio.

"It doesn't substantially change the way people perceive Australia and you wouldn't expect it to."

Mr Downer said there were different levels of people who were interested or not interested in this issue.

"At the level of governments they are pretty sympathetic to the problems we face and they in the main don't complain about it. It is very rarely discussed," he said.

"At the level of the community, it depends which country you go to. In the main, they don't know anything about it at all."

But Mr Downer said Australians should not worry as much about Australia's international reputation.

"In 1901, I think a lot of Australians worried about what a British newspaper might say, I think in 2002 we can well and truly say as a people we've grown out of that," he said.

Australia was today warned its stand on asylum seekers could lose it the support of traditional allies when seeking a seat on the United Nations' Commission on Human Rights.

Former human rights commissioner Chris Sidoti said Australia had offended the Norwegian government by using military forces to take over the MV Tampa.

It was also offending the former president of Ireland, UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson, with its cool response to her request for an envoy to inspect the Woomera detention centre.

He said it was ironic that Australia was seeking election in May to the UN Commission on Human Rights.

"At the same we are doing this we are rebuffing the advice of the local authority established to promote human rights in this country, the Human Rights Commission," he said on ABC radio.

"These are the countries that are our allies, that support us at international forums and who will be voting on whether we get elected to the UN commission on human rights in a couple of months' time.

"I don't think we can expect to receive very much support at all from any of our tradition allies, let alone countries that in the past have been hostile to us if this is the way we conduct ourselves."

Mr Sidoti said international pressure on Australia was already great and increasing but the government was showing itself impervious to that pressure.

He said there was a unanimous opinion from everybody except the Australian government that the situation breached human rights obligations.

"I would much rather that at long last the prime minister and the immigration minister got honest and said yes these do breach human rights obligations but we don't care," he said.


	GOVERNMENT NEWS \| home People still like us says Downer The Age Thursday 7 February 2002 Australia's tough policy on asylum seekers had not tarnished the nation's image abroad and foreign governments generally sympathised with Australia's predicament, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today. Mr Downer, who is in Russia, said the issue of whether or not a United Nations envoy would be allowed to inspect the detention centre at Woomera would be considered by cabinet next week. He said Australia's reputation remained enormously high everywhere he went in the world, even though some journalists clearly didn't like the Australian government or its policies. "I don't think this is an issue that affects Australia's reputation," he said on ABC radio. "It doesn't substantially change the way people perceive Australia and you wouldn't expect it to." Mr Downer said there were different levels of people who were interested or not interested in this issue. "At the level of governments they are pretty sympathetic to the problems we face and they in the main don't complain about it. It is very rarely discussed," he said. "At the level of the community, it depends which country you go to. In the main, they don't know anything about it at all." But Mr Downer said Australians should not worry as much about Australia's international reputation. "In 1901, I think a lot of Australians worried about what a British newspaper might say, I think in 2002 we can well and truly say as a people we've grown out of that," he said. Claims Australia losing support Australia was today warned its stand on asylum seekers could lose it the support of traditional allies when seeking a seat on the United Nations' Commission on Human Rights. Former human rights commissioner Chris Sidoti said Australia had offended the Norwegian government by using military forces to take over the MV Tampa. It was also offending the former president of Ireland, UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson, with its cool response to her request for an envoy to inspect the Woomera detention centre. He said it was ironic that Australia was seeking election in May to the UN Commission on Human Rights. "At the same we are doing this we are rebuffing the advice of the local authority established to promote human rights in this country, the Human Rights Commission," he said on ABC radio. "These are the countries that are our allies, that support us at international forums and who will be voting on whether we get elected to the UN commission on human rights in a couple of months' time. "I don't think we can expect to receive very much support at all from any of our tradition allies, let alone countries that in the past have been hostile to us if this is the way we conduct ourselves." Mr Sidoti said international pressure on Australia was already great and increasing but the government was showing itself impervious to that pressure. He said there was a unanimous opinion from everybody except the Australian government that the situation breached human rights obligations. "I would much rather that at long last the prime minister and the immigration minister got honest and said yes these do breach human rights obligations but we don't care," he said. AAP home