Rudd says he is positively working with Gillard
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd claimed that he and incumbent Prime Minister Julia Gillard do enjoy a working relationship, describing his present connection with the woman who deposed him as prime minister earlier in June as 'positive'.
The former prime minister is in New York to represent Australia in a series of high-level meetings at the United Nations, where he is also expected to address the UN General Assembly in one of his first official tasks as the newly-appointed foreign minister.
Mr Rudd told reporters on Tuesday that he regularly communicates with Ms Gillard in his function as a senior minister in her cabinet, asserting that "the Prime Minister and I have a positive and professional relationship."
He added that his new role as Australia's Foreign Minister requires him to maintain a constant link with Ms Gillard as he stressed that "on the key question of our engagement in foreign policy, of course I maintain a continued dialogue with both the Prime Minister and her advisers."
Also, Mr Rudd said that the country is campaigning for continued concerns on the global financial crisis, which he said has been relentless in hampering efforts for worldwide economic recovery.
He warned that the crisis is still far from being over at this stage, stressing that "those who think the global economic crisis has gone away are wrong," as he added that his recent discussions with governments' foreign ministers have underscored that reality.
The foreign minister also represented the country in gatherings that raised concerns in reducing global poverty and ensuring further educational accessibility for children around the world.