Subjects: Iraq
E&OE...........
JOURNALIST:
Did you hear Senator Hill';s comments on AM this morning about the US and the possibility that the time';s getting closer for them to ask for help from Australia?
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes I did hear his comments. I';ve said before that it is possible, indeed likely, that if the United States were to decide to take military action that Australia';s involvement would be requested. But no decision has been taken and whilst obviously there';s been more focus on what the Americans are doing, they';re going through certain of their political processes which are different from ours, it would be premature of people to assume that something is going to happen in the next period of time. Nothing has altered what I';ve said from the very beginning and that is that if we receive a request from the Americans we will look at it against our national interest. We won';t just automatically click our heels and follow the Americans. We don';t operate that way. We';ll have a look at it. We are in the fortunate position because we have a close military alliance with the United States to have had people inside the American military set up since the war against terror began so we have an advance knowledge in a sense of American military thinking on this issue. But no decision has been taken by the Administration and if it is…..no decision has been taken and if it were and a request came to this country we';d consider it we';d make our own mind up as to whether it was in Australia';s interest to be involved and if we were to be involved then there';d be a full explanation given, there';d been a full parliamentary debate, and I would accept the responsibility as Prime Minister to justify any involvement by this country because it';s the most serious step that you can take. But the issue won';t go away. I said that on radio yesterday and I repeat it this morning but we all hope that it can be resolved diplomatically. I don';t want to see unless it is absolutely unavoidable Australian defence personnel sent abroad. I don';t like that, I don';t relish it and I don';t think anybody does and I would want to see every effort made through other avenues to achieve the desired outcome. And I say again that if Iraq were to comply with the Security Council resolutions that would transform the situation overnight.
JOURNALIST:
What proof would you need from America before you made a decision?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well enough.
JOURNALIST:
What sort of proof?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well you don';t speculate about something like that. We obviously have access to intelligence, we have a very close intelligence association with the United States and we haven';t idly said that we believe Iraq has weapons of mass destruction. But they haven';t made any decision as yet and obviously they have certain processes to go through and their administration is accountable according to the American constitution as ours is. But we would still hope that the diplomatic route were successful. I';ve always been of that view but I';m also a realist and I understand that if it';s not then other options have to be looked at. But we all prefer an outcome that doesn';t involve the use of any kind of military force. Of course we do.
JOURNALIST:
[inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I haven';t….there';s no I need. I mean we act on our own. We don';t sort of wait to be told what our view is by Mr Blair or indeed by President Bush.
JOURNALIST:
[inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we have. I mean I was in America quite recently, Mr Downer is going to the United States in a few days time. We are in very regular contact with the Administration. We know their thinking and we understand what military planning has gone on in the United States and that';s one of the advantages of the relationship we have. We';ve had people there in the defence set ups and we have an understanding.
JOURNALIST:
Senator Hill said this morning that whilst the information is classified that it';s time to let the Australian people know that Saddam is amassing weapons of mass destruction. When will you go to the Australian people to tell them the case?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well what I say and what he said this morning and I repeat it is that if we were to take a decision we would accept full responsibility to justify that decision to the Australian public. We';re not going to commit the armed forces of this country to action just because we';re asked to do so by our allies. We have to be satisfied that it';s in Australia';s national interest to do so and I would accept the responsibility and my colleagues to explain and defend that. But I don';t expect to get a request in the very near future. I really don';t. I think we are seeing inevitable increases in the tempo of activity and comment in other parts of the world but I don';t expect there to be any request in the very near future and I would hope that diplomatic efforts which I know are continuing, I know they are continuing, I would hope that they might be successful. But I';m enough of a realist to know that that might not turn out to be the case.
[Ends]