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Australian PM makes work of Kyoto Treaty

26 November 2007 - Radio Netherlands - On his first day in office, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd started work on plans to sign the Kyoto Protocol. His predecessor, the conservative John Howard, refused to sign the agreement.

apan is pleased with the decision to sign the Kyoto Protocol. Tokyo says relations with Canberra remain good, despite the prime minister's outspoken criticism of Japanese whale hunting. Prime Minister Rudd also intends to withdraw Australian troops from Iraq.

Mr Rudd has also promised that his government will apologise to aborigines for 'the stolen generations'. Thousands of aboriginal children were removed from their families between 1930 and 1970 in an attempt to force ethnic assimilation.

Mr Rudd's administration will be the first federal government to ever apologise for the practice.

Source: Radio Netherlands

Further information: stolen generations issues page - includes news index and external links