Fax from K
4 September 1996 TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MXNISTER
THE HON. JOHN HOWARD MP
DOORSTOP INTERVIEW, MAJURO
E OE
PRIME MINISTER:
Ladies and gentlemen, I have now had an opportunity of examining President Clinton's
statement and also the news reports of the American military action in Iraq. Australia both
understands and supports the action taken by the United States. It was a proper response to a
clear breach by Iraq of the broad conditions of Security Council Resolution 688 which
interdicted the repression of civilian populations. Plainly, Iraq had been behaving in a manner
inconsistent with the understanding reached at the conclusion of the Gulf War and in the
eircumstances, the action taken by the United States is justified. It does have the support of
the Australian Government, We both understand and support the action taken by the United
States. The information I have this morning is that the limited number of Australian citizens
who are in te relevant area in Iraq are both safe and well. Their situation will of course be
kept under very careful notice. I have been informed that a travel warning notice has already
been issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in relation to travel in the
affected area.
JRNLST: Prime Minister, when was Australia first informed?
PRIME MINISTER:
I received a message overnight from President Clinton.
JRNLST: You spoke with the President personally? 04/ 09/ 96 09: 43 Pg: 1
Fax from PRIME MINISTER:
No, no, no. He sent a message to me and that arrived in Canberra overnight.
JRNLST; But you weren't informed prior to the strike action?
PRIME MINISTER:
No. RNLST:
Would you like to have been consulted in advance rather than just informed?
PRIME MINISTER:
I think in these circumstances it is my understanding that the number of countries that in fact
were consulted in advance was very limited, including the United Kingdom whose refuelling
facilities at Diego Garcia were used by the B 52s.
JRNLST: Prime Minister, Mr Clinton said that this was a necessary force. Would you accept necessary
force ( inaudible)
PRIME MINISTER:
Well our position couldn't be plainer. We support the American action and that carries with it
an obvious statement that it was an indicative of the appropriate use of force in the
circumstances of what is happening.
JRNLST: And fully covered by UN resolutions?
PRIME MINISTER:
It's a question of whether it is appropriate action. At the end of the day whether action taken
is appropriate in all of the circumstances is what counts and it is the view of the Australian
Government that it was appropriate action in all of the circumstances.
JRNLST; Prime Minister, is there any role for Australian troops in this matter?
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Fax from PRIME MINISTER:
No, there's been no suggestion of that and I wouldn't have thought that came into the
equation. I don't think this issue should be either played down or played up. It is a limited
military strike, quite specifically designed to reduce Iraq's air capacity. There are reports
about its success. People will make their own assessments of that. I don't think it should be
built up into anything more than that. Equally it's a very significant incident Any incident
that involves the use of military force of this kind is very significant but equally, I don't think
we should get too melodramatic about it either.
JRNLST: Mr Howard, could there be a link between the timing of the strike and Bill Clinton's hopes for
re-election in the Presidentials?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look, I am not going to get into American domestic politics. I look at the merits of what has
happened and I am satisfied on the merits that the action taken is appropriate and justified. I
am not going to make a comment on American politics. Yes Craig?
JRNLST: Last night Mr Clinton wouldn't rule out frther action, What's your position on that?
PRIME MINISTER:
We will assess each individual element on its own merits but obviously if you are satisfied
that behaviour by Iraq has justified some military response, it follows from that that a series of
military strikes in the context of those same circumstances would probably be viewed in the
same light but I can't and won't give a blank cheque in advance and nobody would expect me
to. JRNLST: The Australian ship on the way home from the Gulf, will it continue to return home?
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes. JRNL-ST:
What provision has there been for further briefings? I mean, for example there were some
stories last night that some Americans were on the way to see you. 84/ 09/ 96 09: 43 Pg: 3
Fax from PRIMEE MINISTER:
I haven't made any arrangements to see any Americans here. I do understand that
coincidentally Mr Winston Lord, who is the, I think, Deputy Under Secretary of State for
Pacific or Far Eastern Affairs, was coming to the Marshall Islands, or is coming to the
Marshall Islands but he won't be arriving here until Thursday evening. I will have returned
homae to Australia by Thursday eveziing. We are receiving fairly detailed briefings and my
office has been in touch with our embassy in Washington, the State Department has been in
touch, the usual sorts of things are being exchanged but once again I'd be happy to get any
further information but I won't be seeing Mr Lord yet
JRNLST: Should the matter be now going straight to the Security Council to be dealt wvit urgently
there?
PRM NIMISTER:
I think you have to look at it in both the context of the action being taken by America as
leader of the allied force that waged the Gulf War and also in the contex of Security Council
action. I'm not at this stage suggesting other than that Iraq should, and I very strongly suggest
this, Iraq should comply with the spirit of the original Security Council resolution, should
respect the conditions laid down by the three monitoring powers, the United States. the United
Kingdom and F~ rance at the conclusion of the Gulf War, and if that had occurred and the
requests pursuant to that have been complied with, then this action by the United States would
not have been necessary.
JRNLST: On France, Frime Minister, last night aLsp okesman of the French Forcigu Ministry expressed
some concern about the action and made the point that they were informed and not consulted,
and they certainly did not give their approval.
PRIE MINISMR.
France can speak for France and Australia will speak for Australia. I have stated Australia's
position. Australia's position is one of both understanding and support.
JRNLST; Mr Howard would you agree that the stark contrast between mailitary action, in this case in
response to obviously gross human rights violations in Iraq and violazions of other places such
as Burundi and many other places around the world, why is it we've got this inconsistent
approach with the use of military force in response to the suppression of minorities?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't think it's inconsistent. I believe that there was world wide support, quite
04/ 09/ 96 09: 43 Pg: 4
Fax from: unprecedented world wide support for intervention when Iraq behaved as it did in the prelude
to the Gulf War and what is now being done by the United States is by way of further
enforcement of the stance taken across the world in response to the Iraqi action in late 1990.
Thank you.
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