【ABC】Smith to raise Hu issue with China counterpart

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Smith to raise Hu issue with China counterpart
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/22/2633524.htm?section=justin

By South East Asia correspondent Karen Percy

Posted 1 hour 35 minutes ago

Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith says he hopesto discuss the detention of Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu with hisChinese counterpart on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Thailand.

Mr Smith is attending a regional security meeting on the resort island of Phuket.

He is pushing for a one-on-one meeting with China on the sidelines of the talks to take up Mr Hu's case.

Mr Hu was detained in China earlier this month, accused of stealing sensitive national information.

A one-on-one meeting has yet to be set, but Mr Smith has dismissed suggestions he is being snubbed by the Chinese.

He says Mr Hu's case is complicated and will take time to resolve.

"It's not going to be solved by one phone call or one meeting as I've seen people suggest," he said.

"And in appropriate circumstances I will raise this matter withChinese officials and my Chinese counterpart. Now I hope to be able tohave the opportunity to speak to Foreign Minister Yung about thismatter in the next day or so."

Meanwhile, he has held talks with ASEAN countries with a view toexpanding cooperation in a broad range of areas, from terrorism toglobal warming.

The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is also attending.

Later today she will sign ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation ina sign that the US is re-engaging in this part of the world.

Twenty-seven nations will take part in tomorrow's ASEAN RegionalForum, where North Korea and its nuclear tests will be the focus.

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