Indians challenge Smith about attacks

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has been challenged over attacks on Indians while on
a goodwill visit to the subcontinent.
During a media conference in New Delhi, a journalist said an elderly Sri Lankan man
and his Indian wife had recently been attacked by 20 people, and asked what
Australia was doing about it.
"There has been a lot of concern in India about attacks," the journalist said.
Mr Smith, who is on a three-day trip to India to rebuild relations strained over a
spate of attacks on students in Victoria, said he had "zero tolerance" for such
assaults.
"Regrettably we know ... that there have been some racial or racist overtones to a
small number of those assaults and we condemn that absolutely," he said.
There has been intense media coverage of the attacks in India. Claims by some
Australian officials that the attacks were not racist sparked a negative reaction.
Mr Smith made a public apology during a speech to students at New Delhi's St
Stephen's College on Wednesday.
"On behalf of the Australian government and the Australian people I again express
publicly ... my deep sympathy and condolences to those Indians who have had family
members in Australia attacked."
Mr Smith told Sky News the attacks had hurt Australia's reputation.
"We should just acknowledge upfront that this has damaged Australia's reputation and
standing in India."
The Indian government now fully appreciated that Australia was doing all it could to
prevent more attacks, he said, but there was more work to do in convincing the
Indian public.
The foreign minister, who spoke with university students as well as journalists in
New Delhi, forecast a reduction in Indian students coming to Australia, partly as a
result of the attacks. He described such a reduction as understandable.
Mr Smith will meet Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna during the visit,
which is being held partly to examine security and facilities for the upcoming
Commonwealth Games.
Australia's recently issued counter-terrorism white paper will also be discussed.