Aus to urge India to support its plan to align Asia Pacific

Melbourne, June 21 (PTI) - Australia is expected to urge
India to support its plan to align Asia Pacific countries
under a new international forum during External Affairs
Minister Pranab Mukherjee's visit to the country this week.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith is expected to
raise the issue with Mukherjee when he visits Canberra on
Saturday.

On Friday, Smith will argue before a Perth audience that
the rise of China has straved attention from India's economic
miracle.

"Unfortunately, governments in Canberra have, frankly,
neglected our relationship with India for a long period,"
Smith is expected to tell the audience, the Age reported on
Friday.

India's economic growth in recent years has averaged 8-9
percent and Smith cites predictions by 2025 that it will
become the world's third-largest economy.

"Our future is linked to that of India and our other Asia
neighbours," he is expected to say in his address.

"Our economic growth is powered by theirs," the newspaper
reported.

Despite praise for New Delhi's strong record of nuclear
non-proliferation, Smith is to again defend Labour's decision
not to sell Australian uranium to India.

The Federal Government will use Mukherjee's visit to push
India to support Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's proposed
Asia-Pacific Community as a region-wide organisation to deal
with political, security and economic challenges.

The Government also hopes India will play a key role in
Rudd's other big international proposal -- a commission to
look into nuclear disarmament.

Smith will also again call for India to be given a
permanent Security Council seat under reforms to the United
Nations. PTI