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Bob Carr has recklessly endangered some of Australia's most important international relationships by publishing indiscreet diaries about sensitive foreign policy discussions, says Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
“While it is tempting to ridicule the arrogant foolishness of this egotistical self-promoter, his book carries a real risk of damaging Australia's standing among currently serving world leaders,” Ms Bishop said on Wednesday.
“[Carr’s] gratuitous personal observations and revelations of confidential discussions are unworthy of any Australian politician let alone a foreign minister,” she added.
“Mr Carr was handpicked by Labor, over and above current serving members of Labor’s frontbench.
"Labor knew the risk they were taking when they chose Bob Carr to serve as foreign minister. Labor must take responsibility for the consequences.”
Mr Carr’s Diary of a Foreign Minister is a rare glimpse at the inner life of a foreign minister during his 18 months in the Gillard government. The former foreign minister reports private conversations with global leaders, publishes cables and discloses his observations about international counterparts, some unflattering.
In what must be a first for an Australian foreign minister, Mr Carr reproduces text messages between himself and the Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa. He also reports on private conversations with senior officials including former United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, and the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Mr Carr describes the former Israeli ambassador to Australia, Yuval Rotem, as "the cunning Yuval" and speculates about whether US Secretary of State John Kerry has had cosmetic surgery: “the surgical scars under his eyes I noticed in April have faded in a triumph of American cosmetic surgery.”
In another observation, Mr Carr mentions that his briefing notes describe Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner as “flirtatious”.
“Gazing at him, for his other side, President Kirchner looks enthralled,” Carr writes. “She bats her eyelids. I recall my briefing notes said she was ‘flirtatious’.”
Responding to Ms Bishop's comments, Mr Carr said the Foreign Minister "ought to develop a sense of humour - and settle down and rebuild our relations with Indonesia".
"Get a move on and work South-East Asia and end the neglect of the Pacific," was Mr Carr's advice for his successor.
"On Sunday [Ms Bishop] couldn't recall whether our aid to the Solomons was $300,000 or $300 million," Mr Carr added.
"I am proud of the strengths of Australia's relationships with the US, China and South-East Asia, during my time as foreign minister."
It is understood that Mr Carr's publisher has already ordered a second print run of the book.
