DUNCAN LEWIS THE AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADOR TO BELGIUM, LUXEMBOURG THE EU AND ΝΑΤΟ
Australia shares
European values”
By ALIA PAPAGEORGIOU | MARCH 17, 2013 - 8:37PM
An exclusive Interview with Australian Αmbassador to EU
with New Europe’s Managing Editor Alia Papageorgiou.
Upon the departure of former Australian Ambassador Βrendan Nelson at the end of 2012 (now the Director of the War Memorial in Canberra, Australia), Duncan Lewis, former Secretary of the Department of Defence, Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd and Commander of the Special Operations Force has come to Brussels not only dealing with an office move from Rue Du Guimard to Avenue Des Arts but also with a changing Diplomatic scene.
Ambassador Lewis first came to Brussels 33 years ago on a Commonwealth troop visit to NATO and was transfixed, “I’d never seen anything like it, we only stayed three or four days but it was fascinating. Nothing else compares to the NATO structure, it is a unique military union of countries’ defence forces that is unparalleled,” Lewis says sitting in his office on the one sunny warm day we seemed to have in March.
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The change to Brussels seems to be more than natural, amongst some moving boxes still in a corridor or two the new building seems to suit the staff in Brussels from what some call the 'lucky country'.
Reflecting on geopolitical changes in the last few years it is obvious that Australia and the Pacific has shifted into sharper focus, coupled with the proximity to Asia and the mining resources Australia has the position is clear.
But what brings us closer to NATO? “Well its our actual involvement in Afghanistan” says Lewis, Australia has 1500 troops in the region and works closely with the other international forces on the “post 2014 period,” the Ambassador says, “ the Australian Prime MinisterJulia Gillard has said that we are in this for the long haul so this is a concern for us, we will continue to support and do that now by providing trainers and development assistance, the Australian government provides $250 million to Afghanistan purely for development purposes.”
But he’s not just here for NATO as well as being the Ambassador for Belgium, and Luxembourg he heads the Mission to the EU.
“We are partners, albeit on opposite sides of the world,” Lewis says of the EU- Australian relationship, Europe represents the largest source of foreign investment and the two countries share “so many of the values associated with the EU,” the Ambassador stresses.
“The Rule of Law, transparency in government, the systems of government are absolutely recognisable,” he says of the similarities, it is true the EU and Australia have continued to spar on agriculture, and other areas but the fact remains that the two Antipodean areas have never been closer.
“There is work on cooperation through a crisis management agreement, an agreement to link Australian and EU emissions schemes, and we’re negotiating a framework agreement. This comes on top of an agreement to coordinate development work in the Pacific and Africa," Lewis says.
The shift towards Asia, Ambassador Lewis says is “unremarkeable” and quite obvious, with every time there comes growth and shift and weight and it is only natural that the European region and the North Atlantic would be more “Asia-centric”.
“In 2030, 60% of the world‘s middle class economies will be in Asia,” Lewis says.
“And I don‘t mean this in any particular way, only as a pure fact, their economy is booming, they are modernising their countries,” Ambassador Lewis says.
A question quite often asked of his predecessor having been in Brussels during the economic crisis hitting Europe and the global markets but not Australia, I venture, what would his advice be to the European Union.
“I wouldn’t presume to advise the European Union on anything, but what I would say from the Australian experience is that Australia is very fortunate to have a banking and financial system that is very prudent,” the Ambassador says.
At the height of the economic crisis in 2008 – 2009 Australia was fortunate enough to have four of the top 12 banks that still retained their AAA Credit rating, “couple with the Australian government‘s prompt response and a stimulation package and assisted unquestionably by a mining boom,” the economy remained in a different position than the rest of the world.
Moving on an the Ambassador having served as Security Advisor and in defence the next question flows to cybersecurity, how have things changed since he began a military career 33 years ago and how are they now? Should we be worried about cybercrime?
“Extremely so,” is his first response.
What seems to be key is the partitioning between what could be harmful and what could be useful, in terms of data for any government.
“How to have ready and open access to a net that can maximise assistance and benefit without exposing yourself,” the Ambassador says.
“Privacy is a big deal, what access governments should have on individuals” while at the same time facing the challenge of this new medium. The cyber world has a huge potential for good, an enormous potential for bad,” Lewis says, it needs legislative dexterity, public education and institutional guidance to be managed.
I had one final question, although wished I‘d had more time, what does a person like himself gain following such a long career in the military.
“How to deal with governments actually!” He said, and then we signed off.
