E&OE..................
[Tape starts]
General Cosgrove has proved to be an inspiration not only to the men and
women of the Australian Defence Force, but also to the men and women of
other countries that are serving with Australians in the INTERFET force.
You've behaved in an absolutely impeccable and professional manner. Your
training has been demonstrated to be very adequate for the job that you
were given. You've not only secured your military objectives, but just as
importantly you have secured the broader social and civilian objectives
that these days any men and women in the armed forces of a country must
do. You've won the confidence and the respect and the affection of the local
people who've had a very rough time. You came here because it was the right
thing for our country to do, and it was also in Australia's interests that
you come. And having come here you've discharged your job with tremendous
professional skills...[break in speech].
But could I just say picking up where I stopped, that you came here in the
name of the whole country, and you came to carry out a very just mission
and also a mission that was in Australia's long term interests. And you've
brought back to the people of East Timor some hope, some optimism, and some
measure of faith in the future. You've also restored great peace and stability
to this area. It's been a very important, although unexpected part of your
military life, and I know that many of you have quite properly seen it as
the sort of thing that you joined the Army in order to do. And I know that
when you came here there was understandably a lot of apprehension about
how dangerous it was because it was dangerous, and we shared as best we
could the anxiety that you and more importantly your families would have
felt about what might happen. But because of the tremendous training that
you've received and the way in which you've been so effectively led, gratefully
and thankfully casualties have been kept to an absolute minimum and that's
something that we're always extremely grateful to know.
Can I assure you that your mission here has the total support of the entire
Australian population. In the 25 years that I've been in politics I've not
known an overseas involvement of Australia, and this of course is our biggest
involvement militarily since the Vietnam War, which has attracted such across
the board support. Irrespective of differences back home over other issues,
there is very widespread support that you're right to be here, that you've
done it well, and that in the process you have added a great deal of lustre
to a very proud Australian military tradition. And I want therefore on behalf
of myself, my Government, and all of the people of Australia to express
my gratitude and thanks and appreciation and respect to all of you, to the
commander of the INTERFET operation Major-General Cosgrove, to all the other
commanding officers of the Australian units that are serving here, because
Australia has led this mission. It was Australia's initiative that brought
this mission about. It was Australian leadership that got the INTERFET together,
and it's been Australian leadership that had done so much effective work.
But that is not in any way to play down the significance of the cooperation
from our 16 or 17 other friends within the INTERFET forces, from different
parts of the world. All of them have played a very very significant role.
But your contribution has been immense. I thank you for it. I wish all of
you well. I hope that it continues to be a smooth operation, and that in
the fullness of time when it's fully completed, all of you will safely return
home to your families and other loved ones. And can I just very very warmly
thank you very much.
I have two pieces of mail that I want to deliver. One of them is to Private
Robin J Moore of the boys of the Intelligence Section who corresponded with
me, and I was very pleased to respond to their correspondence. And also
Major S E Clinging of 2RAR as well. And in the course of moving around and
saying hello to you I'd be delighted to meet those two gentlemen and personally
hand these items of mail to them.
But just again, thank you very much. You've done a superb job and the entire
Australian nation is very proud of all of you. Thanks.
[Ends]