Thread: Rice visit to Australia delayed because of illegals?

http://www.smh.com.au

All is forgiven - Rice trip back on agenda
By Cynthia Banham Foreign Affairs Reporter
February 8, 2006


THE most powerful woman in the world, Condoleezza Rice, has resurrected her visit to Australia, making amends for a perceived snub when she cancelled her trip in January.

The US Secretary of State will make her belated appearance in the middle of next month to coincide with the Commonwealth Games. Dr Rice angered the Howard Government when she cancelled her planned trip to Sydney in January for climate change talks after the illness of Israel's Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon.

Her withdrawal led to the Japanese Foreign Minister, Taro Aso, also pulling out of a planned visit to Australia to attend the first-ever ministerial level trilateral security talks, between Japan, the US and Australia.

Dr Rice was criticised at the time for snubbing Australia, in what was perceived to be yet another sign of a lack of interest in the region. Australia places high value on the trilateral security talks as a means of sending a strong signal to Beijing that the US is still engaged in the region.

The foreign ministers were scheduled to discuss concerns over the Taiwan Strait as well as escalating tensions between China and Japan. The location of the talks is undecided. Dr Rice is expected to travel to Melbourne for the Commonwealth Games.

Her decision has mollified Canberra somewhat, sending a signal she is sensitive to the perception Washington has been showing a lack of commitment to its ally. She had previously offended South-East Asian nations by sending her deputy, Robert Zoellick, in her place to the ASEAN Regional Forum in Laos in July. Confirmation of Dr Rice's visit has fuelled speculation the announcement of the new US ambassador to Australia will coincide with her trip. The absence of an ambassador for more than 12 months has been a matter of increasing concern to the Howard Government, with complaints from senior members that the vacancy is frustrating communication with the Bush Administration.

The most recent American ambassador, Tom Schieffer, who is a friend of the President, George Bush, left Canberra in January last year.

The acting ambassador, Bill Stanton, is due to finish his post in the middle of this year. And the embassy's political attache has just taken another job.

Dr Rice would be somewhat embarrassed if she visited with the ambassador post still vacant.

The Herald understands the delay to be in part due to what is known in the US as the "nanny problem". The original candidate had social security issues because of the hiring of an illegal immigrant worker.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,17 ... 21,00.html

US ambassador post remains vacant
By Peter Charlton
12-01-2006
From: The Courier-Mail
TWO possible candidates for the vacant position of American ambassador to Australia have turned down the job because of the scrutiny involved in the process of confirmation.

A State Department source in Washington said President George W. Bush wanted to appoint an ambassador from outside the ranks of the foreign service professionals.
"Two names have been mentioned," the source said.

"But they've both failed the nanny test."

This is a reference to the practice of employing illegal Mexican immigrants as domestic servants, common among wealthy Texans.

Late in 2004, Mr Bush's chosen successor for the job of homeland security chief, Bernard Kerik, had to withdraw his candidacy after it emerged he had employed a Mexican nanny who was an illegal immigrant.

Next month will mark a year since the former American ambassador to Australia, Tom Schieffer, took up the post of American ambassador to Japan.

Mr Schieffer has not been replaced in Canberra.

He was a Texas lawyer and business associate of Mr Bush.

Both made considerable fortunes from their investment in a Texas baseball team.

Britain also remained without an American ambassador for almost a year until the appointment of a wealthy Californian car dealer, Robert Tuttle, last year.

On Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer said it was up to the US as to when it filled the post in Canberra.

But Mr Downer admitted Australia hoped the job was filled sooner rather than later.

It is understood Prime Minister John Howard raised the subject with Mr Bush last June during his visit to Washington.

In Canberra, Bill Stanton, the charge d'affaires, has been filling in as head of mission.

A senior Foreign Affairs source said both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Affairs Minister were perturbed by the long delay in replacing Mr Schieffer.

"Howard goes on about the special relationship with the United States," the source said.

"How special is it when they can't even find an ambassador and get him confirmed.

"And now Condi (Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice) has twice cancelled visits to Australia."

Dr Rice cancelled a planned visit this week to attend the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate and security talks with Japan and Australia because of concern over the health of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Last year she sent a deputy to the annual Australia-US ministerial talks.

Republican administrations generally appoint ambassadors to Australia from outside the State Department.

During the eight years of the Clinton administration, the post was filled by senior State Department officers.