By IRNA,
New Delhi : Australia on Wednesday acknowledged that some of the attacks on Indians were racist in nature.
“I acknowledge absolutely that this issue has caused considerable damage to Australia’s reputation among Indian people. We have to work very hard to address that. We have to be open, transparent and upfront about that,” visiting Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told reporters in New Delhi.
He said some of the attacks are racist in nature or having racial overtones.
“We know that a number of these assaults are racist and have racial overtones. These are absolutely contemptible. We are doing a range of things in future to better portray modern Australia. We want to underline the strength of relationship between India and Australia,” Smith said.
However, both the countries have agreed that the issue should not be allowed to affect the bilateral ties which has grown immensely in the last two years, he said.
The minister had a series of meeting in recent months with his Indian counterpart S. M. Krishna over the issue.
“I want to give the message that we have zero tolerance to any such attack. We want to bring the culprits to justice,” he said.
Smith said there have been convictions in many cases while investigation is going on in 70 cases. “We want to ensure that any visitor to Australia experiences what the people of the country experience,” he said.
Smith said several initiatives have been taken by his government to check such incidents.
“We abhor violence. We abhor these attacks.”