TV interview, Afternoon Briefing, ABC News

Greg Jennett, Host: Tim Watts, it's good to have you back with us again on the program. Why don't we talk about some of the logistics arrangements that are in place around Beirut in particular. So, 500 seats secured for flights from that city to Cyprus on Saturday. Now, that's only a fresh announcement, I appreciate that, but any update coming to hand on how they're filling?

Tim Watts, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs: Well, Greg, every consular crisis situation is different. I know that people recall in 2006 there were the large scale boat evacuations from Lebanon as part of that consular crisis response there. Where we are in the process at the moment is Beirut airport is still open. So, we are working with Australians in Lebanon who want to depart the country by seeking to secure seats for them on flights, working with partners, working with commercial airlines leaving from Beirut airport. As you say, we have secured 500 seats on flights leaving Beirut for Cyprus. Leaving on Saturday. And that's in addition to the 80 seats on flights that we secured leaving Lebanon on flights today. Now of those 80 seats that we secured, 35 of them were taken up. So, our message to the 1700 Australians who have registered with us as wanting to leave Lebanon, and indeed for all Australians who want to leave Lebanon is: be ready to leave quickly and take the first option available to you to leave. Don't wait to see the best flight, preferred route. If you've got a seat leaving the country and you want to leave, take that option. Don't wait to see how things are going to unfold. The security situation is very grave and it could deteriorate very quickly.

Jennett: Ok. It's a big booking, isn't it, Tim? 500 seats, substantially higher than the other figures you just gave us, 35 of 80 that were offered for today. What was the thinking behind this much larger allocation of seats?

Watts: Well, Greg, we've been preparing for this situation for quite some time. Indeed, I was in Lebanon in June of last year before the October 7 terrorist attacks and before the current conflict escalated. And we were even doing preparations back then. Now, what we've seen this week is we've seen a significant deterioration in the situation in southern Lebanon and in Beirut, and we are responding to that now. As I say, the airport is open at the moment. That's the focus of our activities. Australians who want to leave are registered with DFAT, and we can communicate with them with updates on flights that are departing and those logistics about how to get out of the country.

Jennett: Yeah, the Beirut embassy is still open, and I presume, Tim Watts, that a good number of staff there are involved, perhaps physically out at the airport in shepherding people onto their flights. Is it anticipated that that post remains open for the foreseeable future?

Watts: Well, that's right, Greg. The Beirut post is open at the moment and I want to express my thanks for the professionalism of our staff there and the hard work that DFAT staff and our locally engaged staff there do to help Australians in need. But they're supported by an international effort. The Consular Crisis Centre has been established in DFAT in Canberra and that's manned 24 hours a day. We've also had Home Affairs staff deployed to the region to help support that effort to help Australians and their immediate families who wish to depart Lebanon to leave.

Jennett: Ok, so what's the traveller's responsibility for further bookings or movements after arriving in Cyprus? What are they expected to do?

Watts: Well, Greg, often in these consular crisis situations, people leave via a variety of different routes. Now, DFAT staff will be there to assist and to help Australians with onward travel. They'll be supported in that process, but it's a different situation for everyone. Some will want to return all the way to Australia. Some will want to wait in the region to see whether things blow over, so to speak, in a safe country nearby. But DFAT consular officers will be there to provide advice and assistance.

Jennett: Ok, but the kind of working model here is that the Australian Government's responsibilities end, do they, at Cyprus, at least presently, or are there scenarios under which you would arrange or assist for moving them onwards to other destinations.

Watts: Greg, we'll arrange and assist Australians in Lebanon to get home or to get to that place of safety that they want to. The obligations on travellers, as I say, is: be ready to leave at short notice and take the first flight, the first option available to you to leave the country.

Jennett: Okay. And I know money is not a big part of the equation here. Safety dominates all. But just to clear up who pays for the government assisted flights?

Watts: Well, there are commercial flights still operating out of Beirut airport, and we encourage Australians to take those commercial options while they are still in place. For other arrangements should they arise we'll address that as it comes, but in the past we have assisted with that.

Jennett: Alright. Now, under the terms of our discussion here, Tim Watts, we're not contemplating the use of military aircraft yet, and still we have the prepositioning of two RAAF planes. I believe it is two in Cyprus right now. Can you address the timing of that? Why were they moved there now?

Watts: Well, as I say, Greg, the flights leaving on Saturday, they are regular flights. They don't involve the RAAF assets that we’ve prepositioned in the region. But as you'd expect, we are planning for all contingencies here. This is a grave security situation that could deteriorate very quickly. So having those assets in the region will help us to be able to provide support as necessary to Australians seeking to reach safety.

Jennett: Alright, thanks for clearing that up. Why don't we bring our discussion back onshore here in Australia? Tim, we've had confirmation today that there will be what's called a vigil for Gaza in your hometown of Melbourne on Monday evening. Organisers are describing this as a silent procession led by grieving families. What's your attitude to that? Do you think on that description that it is sensitive enough and appropriate for that day?

Watts: The approach that I take to these issues is that this is an incredibly complex conflict and there's plenty of room for people of good faith to disagree. But what I really look for is for Australians to disagree with each other in a way that promotes social cohesion, in a way that reminds us that we have more in common as fellow Australians than any individual issue that we might disagree on. So, in that context, I want Australians to show respect for their fellow Australians and to recognise that October 7 is a day of enormous, enormous trauma for the Australian Jewish community. This is the single largest loss of Jewish life on any one day since the Holocaust, and this is a day of significant trauma. Now, this is a day that should be, I think, commemorated. The loss of life should be shown respect, and I do not believe that it promotes social cohesion to hold protest marches of any kind on that day.

Jennett: Alright, I understand that. Thank you for clearing that up. And just finally, Tim, the Australian Government, as a matter of foreign policy, is simultaneously recognising Israel's right to defend itself presently while also calling that multinational ceasefire to be implemented immediately. Peter Dutton has said of Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles today, if he wants to go down the appeasement path with Anthony Albanese, then that's an issue for him. What's your response to this appeasement allegation?

Watts: Well, Greg, Peter Dutton is often emotional and he often says things that he later regrets. I can recall in the last federal election campaign, he described our approach to engagement with China as appeasement too. That's before he saw that our engagement approach didn't imply concession, and saw the dividends of our dialogue with China. The current moment in the Middle East is a time for cool heads and for calm leadership. And that's why we have recognised that Israel, as a matter of fact, at international law, has a right to self-defence. It's also why we've recognised the importance of de-escalation and restraint, and that now is the time to break this cycle of violence. Now is the time for a ceasefire, particularly on that Lebanon border where we can see a ceasefire agreement reached where civilians, in Israel and in Lebanon, can return safely to their homes. The way that we are going to resolve this complex international conflict is through diplomacy. Regional escalation, a regional conflict, that's not in anyone's interests – in Israel, in Lebanon, or across the broader region. And it's civilians, particularly women and children, that will pay the price of further conflict.

Jennett: Alright, we'll pick up this discussion with others on the program today, I guarantee it. Tim Watts, we really appreciate you making some time and for laying out some of the extra details around travel out of Lebanon presently. Good to catch up.

Watts: Thanks Greg.