Attack on Indians may affect some aspects of ties, Australia admits

Hours after India warned it of "adverse" effect of the continuing attacks on Indians, Australia today acknowledged that it would impact on some aspects of bilateral ties but refused to treat it as a threat to overall relationship between the two countries.

Expressing deep "anguish" over the continuous attacks in Australia, external affairs minister SM Krishna said "unless there is an immediate stop to all such attacks, our people-to-people level exchanges, which includes education and tourism, will get adversely affected."

Terming as "measured and constructive" reaction of Indian government to these attacks, ambassador of Australia Peter Varghese told PTI, "This (assaults) is an issue which have potential to flow on to the sort of things that the minister has mentioned from education relationship to the tourism relationship."

Asked if he sees the Indian reaction as a threat to the bilateral relationship at overall level, he said "I don't read it as a threat at all. I just see it as an observation about what the consequences might be.

"I don't think it is an unreasonable observation to say that the continuation of these attacks would not have an effect on the people-to-people exchanges that includes education and tourism."

Assuring that his government was taking several preventive steps to check attacks contrary to various media reports, Varghese said he does not believe that these assaults will have any effect on the trade and investment ties between the two countries.