VISLT TO SOUTH EAST ASIA 196( r-
DJAKARTA
SY E72C H BY FR ZSL" DE11' FP SUHA RTC AT DINNER GIVEN 2 4 JUR 1968
BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR. JOHN GORTON 14 JUNE 1968
Your Excellency Prime Minister Gorton and Madame Gorton, Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Honourable Guests:-
After having been in the capital of Djakarta for a few days, Your
IExcellency Prime Minister Gorton and Madame Gorton are going to visit some
areas of Indonesia. I am convinced that this visit to the other areas will be
very useful: Your Excellency will then be able to kcnow better the Indonesian
people, and their culture: you will know each other better from heart to heart:
you will better understand their everyday problems and their efforts to overcome
them. Above everything else Your Excellency and your party will even more
enjoy the friendly atmosphere as is the wish of the Indonesian people. I am sure
that you will feel all these thingg even better, because among your party there
is somebody for whom it will be easier to understand them, namely Madame
Gorton who speaks indonesian fluently.
It is indeed an honour, it is even very moving for the Indonesian
people that this time outside the Malay race we have a State guest who is well
versed in our language and who has a thorough knowledge of the Indonesian culture.
I feel that Mrs. Gorton's fluency and her knowledge of the Indonesian language
are a manifestation of the friendly feelings and the understanding of the Australian
people about the Indonesian people.
In the last two years these bonds of friendship have become even
more visible: an exchange of visits among officials and leaders of our two nations
have taken place, also among private persons. Indonesia has also received
financial, and technical help and other forms of assistance which are very useful
for us and which we value very highly. But much more important than material
help are the deeper foundations as I see them, foundations which are manifestations
of an understanding from Australia about the problems which are being faced by
the Indonesian people at present. Indeed the Indonesian nation is at present
focussing her attention and her ability to bring about economic stability, and on
the basis of this economic stability we will soon begin with development in the
truest sense of the word. We fully realise that in developing Indonesia's economy
emphasis must be laid upon the mobilisation of our own forces. However, we
are also fully aware of all the limitations which are still binding us: so that
foreign assistance and co-operation have a considerable influence in accelerating
efforts by the Indonesian nation in developing their economic potentialities.
I sincerely appreciate the fact that Your Excellency during this
visit has been able better to understand the problems which we are facing. This
understanding can be seen very clearly during our discussions which I held with
Your Excellency this afternoon, especially with regard to relations between our
two nations and Indonesia's efforts to improve her economic facilities. The open
discussions and heart-to-heart talks held between us concerning international
problems in general and about Asia in particular are indeed very useful. Cur
exchange of thoughts have convinced me that the future of the friendship between
our two nations is extremely hopeful and that it contains many useful
possibilities for both parties. / 2
2.
With regard to relations between nations in the world at present,
I get the impression that an exchange of visits between leaders of nations is
extremely useful for strengthening the bonds of friendship, because mutual visits
bring mutual understanding. It is mutual understanding and mutual esteem that
are absolute requisites for the realisation of everlasting peace in the world. With
this general picture in mind I believe that Your Excellency would agree with me
that your visit to Indonesia this time is truly of great significance for Australia
and Indonesia, The results of this visit will become a firm foundation for future
friendly relations and co-operation between our two nations and, let us hope
that it will be a positive contribution towards the stabilisation of our area.
Your Excellency Prime Minister Gorton and Madame Gorton,
tomorrow Your Excellency and Madame and your party will leave Djakarta to
continue your trip to various areas of Indonesia, after which you will be leaving
our country. My wife and I very much regret not to be able to accompany you on
your further trip in Indonesia. However, I believe that this will not in the least
reduce the value of your observation trip. Therefore, I shall avail myself of
this opportunity to wish you a happy journey.
During your visi t we feel that Your Excellency has succeeded in
creating a friendly atmosphere towards the Indonesian people: we also hope that
when leaving Indonesia Your Excellency will take home with you the friendly
feelings of the Indonesian people. On behalf of the people of Indonesia and on
my own behalf, through Your Excellency, I wish to send friendly greetings to
the Australian people. At the end, allow me to invite Your Excellency, Your Excellencies,
ladies and gentlemen, and all honourable guests to raise your glasses and to
drink to the prosperity of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11 and to the health of
Your Excellency and Madame Gorton and your party and to the prosperity and
progress of the Australian people.
Thank you.