E&OE...............................................
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, what was you message to the troops ...[inaudible]?
PRIME MINISTER:
My message on behalf of the Australian people was one of good luck,
God's speed and a safe return. I expressed the gratitude of the
Australian people for the commitments that they were making. I told
them that one of the enormous advantages they had was that they were
amongst the most superbly trained military personnel in the world.
The training of the SAS regiment and the training of the other personnel
is second to none around the world.
I also told them that their cause was a good one and a just one. It
is important for all of the Australian people to appreciate and to
know that this is no sort of idle exercise. We are about ensuring
that a person who has successfully thumbed his nose so far against
world opinion is not allowed to retain and ultimately use weapons
of mass destruction. And it is also important that the authority of
the United Nations is maintained.
It does effect Australia. It is not a remote, indifferent, irrelevant
part of the world to Australia. And if Saddam is allowed to get away
with what he is trying to get away with then other countries, perhaps
closer to Australia, perhaps of more immediate threat to Australia,
could be encouraged to attempt the same thing. So there is a direct
Australian national interest involved.
JOURNALIST:
How emotional was that for you to deliver this message? How were they
feeling and how emotional was it?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well they were in tremendous spirit. They are superbly professional
men and women and I admire them immensely. Of course it is an emotional
thing to look people in the eye who are going off to put their lives
potentially on the line and it is not something that is done lightly
and I am immensely proud of them. And I told them that the Australian
nation was immensely proud of them and they went with united prayers
and good wishes of all of the Australian people.
JOURNALIST:
Did you get to speak to the families Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER:
No I didn't. They had arranged that the family farewell should
take place this morning. I had the opportunity to speak to all of
the men and women who were there and to shake each hand and to wish
each good luck and to talk about the nature of the exercise. We discussed
the politics of it. And they were a very, very impressive bunch of
Australians. It was very important to them that both the Leader of
the Opposition and I were there. The safety of Australian military
personnel and their endeavours is something that is above party politics
in this country. And I was particularly pleased that it was possible
for Mr Beazley to be there.
JOURNALIST:
And if there is any chance that Saddam will adhere ...resolution?
PRIME MINISTER:
I hope there is. And I told them that. I said that I hoped that they
would be deployed but not be required to go into armed conflict. I
hope very, very much that this dispute can be settled. I don't
want to get overly optimistic about the prospects of a settlement,
but there is still the possibility that, particularly through the
egest of the Secretary General of the United Nations, something can
be achieved. And if that is possible then nobody will be more delighted
than I. And I said that to the defence personnel who I addressed.
JOURNALIST:
If that doesn't happen, how...will our troops be [inaudible]?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I can't speculate and I won't speculate about that.
JOURNALIST:
What are your thoughts about the protesters out here and what it can
do the men, their morale?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't think anything will dent the morale of those men and
they will go knowing that the overwhelming sentiment in the Australian
community is one of support. And they will know that there will be
many pairs of Australian eyes closed in silent prayer tonight for
their safe return.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, you have had a long day flying here, I suspect you
are flying straight back...
PRIME MINISTER:
I am.
JOURNALIST:
....[inaudible] in this very important issue. Personally how is it
taking its toll on you?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well it is the least I can do. If they are prepared to go to another
part of the world and put their lives at risk the least that the Prime
Minister of this country can do is fly over to Perth and thank them
personally and wish them well on behalf of the rest of the Australian
community and go back.
Look this is a difficult issue, it is an emotionally challenging issue,
but the course of action we have adopted is the right course of action.
We have no alternative. We will continue to try a peaceful solution.
If that fails then military force will be necessary and the Australian
people can know that we will be sending into that military conflict
the most superbly trained personnel available and people whose whole
career efforts to date has been directed towards getting them ready
for precisely such an encounter.
JOURNALIST:
...or if it does end up being....[inaudible]...how many more troops
are we going to ...[inaudible]?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well at this stage the commitment is no more than what I announced
last week and we wouldn't envisage that any additional commitment
was necessary and we certainly don't have any contingency planning
for any further commitment.
JOURNALIST:
....[inaudible]...would that be?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't expect that that will change.
JOURNALIST:
Are you in constant contact with the Americans?
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes. Well I have spoken to President Clinton twice on this matter.
And the Defence Minister is in contact with his counterpart in the
United States. The Head of our Defence Force is in contact with the
Americans and there is constant liaison at a military level and also
at a State Department/Ambassador to United States level. The lines
of communication are very open and they are very adequate and very
complete.
JOURNALIST:
....[inaudible].. you bipartisan nature in brief is that something
you plan to do over the next couple of weeks or months or however
long...[inaudible]..?
PRIME MINISTER:
I will. I have a very strong view that on these matters there should
be a total inclusion of the Opposition. This is something that should
be above party politics. The Australian people demand no less and
we owe no less to the men and women who are going overseas. There
is nothing worse than to have men and women going overseas and putting
their lives at risk against the background of political division.
And I will continue to keep Mr Beazley fully informed. I appreciate
and I thank him for the support that he has tendered to the Government
on behalf of the Australian Labor Party. Thank you.
[Ends]