Television Interview, Sunrise

SUBJECTS: Middle East Conflict. 

NATALIE BARR, HOST: For more, Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles, joins us live. Good morning to you. 

RICHARD MARLES, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: Good Morning, Nat. 

BARR: Peace in the Middle East, not a phrase we get to use very often. Does the world owe Donald Trump a debt of gratitude for this?

MARLES: I think they do, Nat. To be frank, this is an incredible achievement on the part of President Trump and his administration. We've watched an unfolding tragedy, catastrophe really, over the last two years which has, I think, gone to places that none of us expected. And an enormous loss of life, obviously. Hostages that were away from their families for more than two years. And to see the footage that we have in the last 24 hours of those hostages being returned, of the hostilities ceased, which enables Gaza to be reconstructed, is genuinely extraordinary. I mean, it is in that sense, a very joyful day. But it's really a moment where we need to see this as the beginning of an enduring peace in the Middle East in the way in which President Trump has just described.

BARR: Yeah, look, it's amazing, isn't it, as you say? But it's the first point of their 20 point plan. How do we make sure, first of all, Hamas is properly disarmed and also Israel fully withdraws?

MARLES: Well, as you say, there are steps to go in this process, but I think what we've seen in the last 24 hours is the enormous benefits that come from this peace plan being implemented. So, the obvious point is, you know, all parties should be adhering to President Trump's plan and that means every step of that plan. You know, we need to see this once and for all being the beginning of an enduring peace in the Middle East. That derives from there ultimately being a two state solution. The peace plan that's being put in place by, or proposed by President Trump enables that pathway to be walked and it's really important now that that occur. All that we've seen over the last two years is such that we cannot see that again. And this really must be the moment that this region moves forward. And I come back to where we started, President Trump and his administration deserve an enormous amount of credit. This will be remembered by history.

BARR: Yep. Let's hope it holds. Richard Marles, thank you for your time this morning.

MARLES: Thanks, Nat.

ENDS