His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam arrived in Canberra, Australia Tuesday, on a six-day state visit to the continent. The special aircraft of His Majesty arrived at the Australian Defence Establishment in Fairbairn at about nine in the morning local time, or six a.m. Brunei time.
 

His Majesty was welcomed on arrival by the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery, the Deputy Prime Minister, The Honourable John Anderson, and other top Australian officials.

At the welcoming ceremony, a twenty one gun-salute marked the start of the state visit. His Majesty was given a Royal Salute and consented to inspect a guard of honour mounted by the three branches of the Royal Australian Armed Forces. Later His Majesty was introduced to members of the Australian welcoming party. Members of the Brunei official delegation were also introduced to the Governor General.

Brunei Darussalam established diplomatic relations with Australia in 1984. Both countries have set up diplomatic missions in each other's capitals. Australia, like Brunei Darussalam is a member of the Commonwealth. It has a population of twenty million people with Canberra as capital of the vast country with a land area of more than seven thousand seven hundred thousand square kilometers.

In 2003, His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince paid an official visit to Australia. The visit underscored the good relationship between the two countries.

His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Dipertuan of Brunei Darussalam, in outlining the relationship between Brunei and Australia, expressed appreciation for the longstanding friendship and the important role Australians have played in Brunei Darussalam's development. His Majesty also highly acknowledged Australians' contribution in various areas of cooperation.

These are some of the points highlighted by His Majesty in reply to the Australian Prime Minister during a luncheon hosted by the Premier. The state visit began with a meeting between His Majesty and the Honourable Prime Minister John Howard at the Prime Minister's Suite at the Parliament House in Canberra.

His Majesty and his host exchanged views on a broad range of bilateral and regional affairs. Both leaders also discussed ways to enhance the relationship between the two countries. While at the Parliament House, His Majesty also met leader of the opposition, the Honourable Kim Beazley, a former Defence Minister of Australia.

His Majesty attended the luncheon hosted by the Prime Minister in honour of His Majesty's state visit to Australia at the Private Dining Room of the Parliament House. Also at the luncheon were the President of the Senate, the Honourable Senator Paul Calvert; Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Honourable David Hawker and leader of the opposition, the Honourable Kim Beazley.

The Prime Minister of Australia, His Excellency John Howard in welcoming His Majesty spoke about the shared vision between Brunei Darussalam and Australia. He also spoke highly of His Majesty's leadership in the region that has witnessed many challenges and successes. He went on to recall a recent visit to Aceh that was hit by the Indian Ocean tsunami. The leader of the opposition, the Honourable Kim Beazley in supporting the remarks of the Prime Minister, recalled his own visit to Brunei when he was the Defence Minister and expressed his warm welcome to His Majesty.

Brunei Darussalam's major export to Australia is crude petroleum. Export of the product during the period 2003 to 2004 amounted to almost five hundred million Australian dollars. In the same period, Brunei imported live animals worth eleven million Australian dollars.

Later in the afternoon, His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam visited the Australian War memorial. The Memorial is considered as one of Australia's great cultural icons. On arrival at the War Memorial, His Majesty was greeted by the Chariman Council of The Australian War Memorial, Major General Clunies-Ross and the Director of Australian War Memorial, Major Generel Steve Gower.

His Majesty then toured the World War Two gallery, which include an exhibition of Borneo and the Malay Peninsula. Australian and British troops were involved in the theater of conflicts in the two regions. The Memorial was the inspiration of Australia's First World War official historian Charles Bean. His Idea was to achieve commemoration through understanding. There was an element of surprise when His Majesty was shown the historic scene of Brunei Darussalam. These old photographs were taken by the Australian Soldiers who served in the liberating force of Borneo in the Second World War. The pictures were of His Majesty's uncle, Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin, the 27th Sultan of Brunei, and have been kept as part of the Museum' treasured collections.

The complex is a popular tourist destination. According to the statistics every year the museum welcomes nearly 2-million visitors. Because of that it has been named as the best Major Tourist Attraction in Australia for three consecutive years.

The War Memorial is regarded by the Australians as a unique institution that combines a shrine, a museum and an archive. At the War Memorial, His Majesty laid a wreath on the tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier from the First World War. It commemorates the 102-thousand Australians who died while serving the country during wartime.

His Majesty later continued the State visit's program by touring the Australian Institute of Sports. The Institute is Australia's internationally acclaimed national center of sport excellence for the training and development of elite athletes and teams.

Upon arrival at the institute, His Majesty was welcomed by the Chief Executive of the Institute, Mr. Mark Peters and Acting Director of the Institute, Doctor Peter Fricker. At the Institute, His Majesty was briefed on the features of the Institute's campus and the role and functions of the Australian Sport Commission.

The institute is the nation's primary sports administration and advisory agency, and the cornerstone of a wide ranging sports system. Opened in 1981 in response to disappointing results from the Australian team at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, the institute originally offered scholarships to 7-hundred athletes each year in 35 separate programs covering 26 sports.

His Majesty's programme included a tour to the Sports Science and Medicine building. It is here in this building where the secret of Australian sports excellence lies. It includes medicine services for physiology, biochemistry, biomechanics, psychology, nutrition, physical therapies and performance analysis and skill acquisition. According to the Australians sports officials the centre is responsible for half of the gold medals bagged by the country in the last two Olympics.

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Muizaddien Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam has acknowledged the wide cooperation between Brunei Darussalam and Australia. His Majesty made the remark in a titah at the state dinner hosted in his honour by the Governor General of Australia in Canberra Tuesday night.

His Majesty said this wide ranging cooperation covers defense, education, air services, tourism, cultural, social and sporting affairs. His Majesty also noted that there is also a growing amount of trade and investment with an increasing number of Australian companies expressing interest in Brunei's future development. His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam delivered the titah at a state dinner in Canberra hosted by their Excellencies the Governor General, Major General Micheal Jeffery and Mrs. Jeffery.

On arrival at the Government House, His Majesty was greeted by the Governor General and Mrs. Jeffery. In his titah at the function, His Majesty stressed that Australia is a very important partner and on that will continue to be closely linked to Brunei's economic future.

His Majesty noted that Brunei Darussalam is also very pleased to be long-standing regional partners in the ASEAN-Australia dialogue, in APEC and most importantly today, in its efforts to ensure regional security for everyone who lives and works in the Asia-Pacific Region. His Majesty further stated that the state visit was not only a commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation but also to express Brunei Darussalam's appreciation and respect for the friendship and contributions made by Australians in all aspects of life in the Asia-Pacific.

Also attending the state dinner were the President of the Senate, the Honourable Senator Paul Calvert, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the Honourable David Hawker, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Honourable John Anderson and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Honourable Alexander Downer.

Brunei Darussalam and Australia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on counter-terrorism in Canberra during the visit of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.

Signing on behalf of Australia was its Foreign Minister, Mr. Alexander Downer who described the Memorandum of Understanding as a vehicle through which the two countries could cooperate more in combating terrorism.

Signing on behalf of Brunei Darussalam was the Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Pehin Dato Awang Haji Abdul Rahman. He said the MOU is an important document that will enable the two countries to work together even more in facing the common problem.

The Memorandum of Understanding would lead to enhanced bilateral relations and cooperation, such as joint investigations and complement regional counter-terrorism activities including through the ASEAN Regional Forum and APEC.

His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Deputy Sultan, Tuesday consented to receive in audience the respective Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Thailand and the People's Republic of China to Brunei Darussalam.

His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah first received, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Thailand, His Excellency Sornsitp Polteja. His Excellency presented his credentials to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang DiPertuan of Brunei Darussalam on the 3rd of February this year.

The Crown Prince later received the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China, Her Excellency Yang Yanyi. Her Excellency presented her credentials to His Majesty on the 5th of this month.

Also present at the audience ceremony was the Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office, Pehin Dato Paduka Awang Haji Hazair bin Haji Abdullah. The ceremony took place at the Istana Nurul Iman.