Ambassador Susan Cox, who is also Australia’s consul-general to the Northern Marianas and Guam, met with Gov. Benigno R. Fitial and some local lawmakers during her visit to Saipan.
The head of Australia’s transnational crime unit was with her. The two went to Tinian on Saturday.
On Friday, the ambassador granted this reporter an interview at the Hyatt Saipan Hotel.
“Australia has a real interest in the Pacific, including the North Pacific,” she said. “We’re very interested in the Freely Associated States because, of course, as members of the Pacific Forum, we share much in common with them. And Guam and the Northern Marianas, as part of Micronesia, are equally important to us.”
Cox is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade who has been assigned to Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Egypt and the United States in different capacities.
She was among the diplomats recognized for their active response to the Bali bombing terror attacks in 2002 that claimed the lives of 88 Australians.
She said part of her mission in visiting the Northern Marianas is to establish better relations with the local government in fighting transnational crimes.
In April this year, Australia established the Micronesian Crime Transnational Unit in Pohnpei and satellite units in other FSM states, Palau, the Marshall Islands, the CNMI and Guam.
Cox said the project is a joint initiative between the U.S. and Australia to ensure that transnational crimes, including acts of terrorism, are prevented.
“What’s good is that [we are] able to look at a range of issues such as people smuggling, drug trafficking, which is of course, a major concern to many people in the region and also in fighting money laundering, which is, of course, often linked to acts of terrorism,” she said.
She said money laundering is a crime that Australia is concerned about.
“It’s an issue that the region has to keep on guard because terrorists and others will look for areas of the world where they can launder money very easily. And what’s good about the transnational crime unit is that it has established cooperation between all the countries in Micronesia to fight these things,” she said.
She said terrorism is everyone’s problem.
More than a week ago, 179 people died and scores wounded in Mumbai, India’s financial center, after terrorists believed to be linked with Pakistani militias, simultaneously attacked the historic Taj Mahal Hotel, a train station, the Oberoi Hotel and other locations.
Cox said Australia condemns the attack.
“Australia always condemns acts of terrorism. It’s just not acceptable for people to deprive others of their lives and livelihood through such heinous crimes. The bombings in Bali affected Australia directly in that 88 Australians died so we know what it is like to lose lives in this crisis and in that sense I know that the Australian government has already passed its condolences to India as a result of those bombings,” she said.
“[Terrorism] is a problem that the world shares. These crimes transcend borders. It’s not just enough for individual countries to be doing things. Cooperation is a key to achieving appropriate outcome,” she added.
