PRIME MINISTER:
Ladies and gentlemen, I have called this news conference to announce that at the invitation of President Bush I will be going to Washington for talks with him, to take place on the afternoon of Monday the 10th of February. While in Washington I also expect to have talks with other senior members of the Administration. This will be an opportunity for me to convey directly to the President the views of the Australian Government on matters relating to Iraq. It is a reminder of the value of the close relationship Australia has with the United States, that at this absolutely critical time in the evolution of this issue I should have the opportunity to communicate directly with him and put to him directly the views of the Australian Government.
After going to Washington, I intend to go to New York to the United Nations and have discussions there with the Secretary General and others. That will also be an opportunity to put Australia's views about the responsibilities of the United Nations, the importance of the Security Council taking advantage of the opportunity to see that its will is expressed in successive resolutions, is carried forward.
When I leave New York, I intend to go to London to discuss Iraq and related matters with the British Prime Minister and the British Foreign Secretary. I have been in regular discussion with Mr Blair on this issue as recently as last week. I believe that Mr Blair has played a very constructive role and has articulated on behalf of his Government a very strong view which is designed to bring about a very strong resolution from the United Nations.
On the way back, it is my intention to visit Indonesia for discussions with President Megawati and amongst other things, that will give me the opportunity of directly thanking her for the very efficient and effective manner in which the investigation into the Bali outrage has been conducted, and to mark by that visit and my personal thanks, the appreciation of the Australian people for the way in which the Indonesian authorities have cooperated with such evident success to date with the Australian Federal Police into that investigation.
I should also inform you that tomorrow afternoon when the House convenes at two o'clock, after a motion dealing with the bushfires and some other tragedies that have overtaken us in the past few weeks, I intend to seek leave of the House to make a detailed statement to the House regarding the Government's policy on Iraq. Naturally, the Leader of the Opposition will respond and I would hope that a lengthy debate would ensue and take precedence over other business for at least a period of time. It is evident that the community wants as much debate as possible and I intend to make a detailed statement outlining what the Government has done to date, the basis of our policies, the reason why we regard this as an important issue. But could I just emphasise that the visit that I'll be paying to various capitals from the weekend is an opportunity at the very highest level for me to convey the views of the Government to the President, to the British Prime Minister, to the United Nations and to others, the views of the Government regarding this very difficult issue - one that the world must deal with. It can't walk away from it and I will welcome the opportunity to do all of those things.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, would you describe this as a peace mission or as preparations for war?
PRIME MINISTER:
I hope it is a peace mission. I hope it can make a contribution. I remain Paul very strongly of the view that there is a hope, and it has to be regarded as a slim one, but it is nonetheless a hope. If there is a hope of in the end Iraq doing for example what South Africa did when that country decided to renounce dangerous weapons - invite the inspectors in, take them to the sites, invite them to supervise the destruction, hand over the records - but if there is a hope that Iraq might do that, it is more likely to do that if you have a unanimous, unambiguous, no holds barred expression of opinion from the Security Council. You won't get it if you have divided world opinion. You might get it if you have united world opinion.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, what is it you will be able to say to these leaders directly that would make a strong contribution to that resolution, and why do you need to do it in person given, as you say, you had a conversation on the telephone with the UK Prime Minister and with the US President within the last fortnight?
PRIME MINISTER:
I think you know Fran that personal discussions always have a greater impact than discussions over the phone. That is why people see each other instead of conducting all of their business over the phone. It's an opportunity for me to talk to close allies and leaders of countries that are important to Australia, not only to convey my views but also to discuss how the matter might be handled. I don't believe final decisions have been taken regarding aspects of the handling of this matter in the United Nations. I don't believe final decisions have yet been taken. In fact, I'm sure they haven't. As you know, we're to have an address to the United Nations Security Council by the Secretary of State on Thursday morning Australian time and he'll be presenting certain material. Then I imagine at some stage the following week perhaps, there may be further discussions in the Security Council. The issue is still evolving and if Australia is to have an impact, an input, an impact - surely the greatest opportunity for that input and impact is for the Prime Minister to be talking directly to the President, to the United Nations, to the British Prime Minister. Now, I can't think of a better way of Australia being there, putting a point of view, being part of the process, than that.
JOURNALIST:
It now seems that we're likely to get a second resolution out of the Security Council. How strong would you like to see that second resolution if it arises?
PRIME MINISTER:
Glenn I hope that we are moving towards a second resolution. I read some commentary on that today in one journal in particular, but in a number of journals, and I hope that commentary is well placed. If so I'll feel that Australia has played a part because can I remind you that as far as September of last year I urged the United States Administration to go back to the United Nations. And the matter is now before the United Nations because of what President Bush said and did when he went to the General Assembly on the 12th of September. I don't think it helps at the moment for me to be speculating as to what might be in a second resolution, if it comes about. As I've said repeatedly you may not get a black or white outcome, you may get a second resolution but it might be a grey one and what shade of grey I don't know. You may not get a second resolution, you may get a series of stratagems and moves which indicates in some way an acquiescence as occurred in relation to Kosovo. If in fact the world is moving a little closer to getting a second resolution well that would be good. Overwhelmingly it's my view that it's desirable to have a second resolution not because of a matter of international law, I just believe that a second resolution will bring forth the maximum support and maximum involvement in military action if that regrettably becomes necessary. That is the reason why I believe a second resolution is so very important.
JOURNALIST:
... major breach, a material breach of 1441 has already been carried out as Mr Blair has suggested?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think you have furious agreement between Mr Blair, Mr Crean and myself. Mr Crean said that he believed when the Blix Report was brought out he said that he believed that Iraq had been obviously in material breach.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister what impact do you want to have in your talks with Megawati in Jakarta and how worried are you in fact that the conflict in Iraq might actually damage, seriously damage the war against terror in South-East Asia, that the Muslim populations of South-East Asia would see this an attack against Islam and would turn against the United States and Australia?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I'm not entertaining a concern about the impact in the war against terror, the very trigger for my visit there to thank her for the way in which they have reacted to the Bali outrage is an indication that they are very determined, and I want to recognise that determination, I want to work with them. Obviously that is very important, and obviously there are a range of views about Iraq, our view about Iraq is in no way related to our view about Islam. There are many Muslim countries that disapprove of what Iraq is doing, we have no quarrel with Islam and it's very important that we take every opportunity to separate out our objection to terrorism and our concerns about weapons of mass destruction and our relationships with Islamic countries. Australia has an important and close relationship with Indonesia, I think it's valuable at this time for some of the reasons I've mentioned and the natural opportunity that a discussion with the President affords for any issue to be canvassed, I think it's very important that I take this opportunity of going to Indonesia at this time.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister do you perceive this, the invitation from President Bush, do you see that as a vote of thanks if you like from Washington for the support that Australia has offered the United States?
PRIME MINISTER:
I would see it as the desire of the President to talk a close ally and seek his opinion about how the matter should be handled in the days immediately following our discussion. I have to say, and the record bears this out, that at important stages of this issue the President has sought the views of Australia and the views of Australia are taken seriously and treated respectfully and I would remind you again that the opportunity that this gives at the highest level for Australian involvement in the evolving development of a final position in relation to the United Nations is a reminder of the value of the alliance, it's a reminder that it's a relationship not taken for granted by the United States. This is not the behaviour of somebody who takes Australia's support for granted, this is the behaviour of somebody who's interested in knowing Australia's point of view and hearing the views of the Australian Prime Minister, whoever he or she may be.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister will you be on this trip seeking to talk to Dr Blix ahead of his second report?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well if he's there, yes. He may be in Baghdad, I don't know. If the Iraqis are cooperating he may be in Baghdad, if they're not cooperating he may be in, I don't know. But if he were in New York I would ask to see him, yes.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, have you yet seen or heard of, in any detail, the information that Colin Powell's going to present this coming week and would you expect to hear...
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't want to speculate about that.
JOURNALIST:
What views will you actually be putting, you say you'll be putting the strong views of the Australian Government and the Australian community, obviously there is divided opinion in Australia about that.
PRIME MINISTER:
You've got to bear in mind Laura that the discussion will take place against the background of how the situation has developed by the time we have our meeting. And when you are dealing with something that's evolving then it's pretty hard a week before the discussion to say exactly what you're going to say or the full extent of what you're going to put, obviously I'll be telling him what I've mentioned to all of you and that is we think there are enormous advantages for the reasons I've outlined in seeking a second resolution. We will then, by then have had the benefit of the Secretary of State's presentation, we may have the benefit of some reactions from that presentation and can I just in passing say in relation to that presentation that it will be an important part of the mosaic but I don't think we should see it as the most crucial moment in the whole saga. It's important, in my opinion, as I'll be indicating to the Parliament tomorrow, there is already plenty of evidence of Iraq's studied impudence to the international community. If there is further information provided by the Secretary of State, then that will further build the case.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, will you be pressing the Americans for a dark grey resolution, rather than ... is that the idea?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I suppose we have to define first of all, you know, what form of words would best be represented by that colour and that's a bit hard to do until we know a bit more. I mean, our view is that if you get a strong second resolution that will marshal the greatest amount of support and involvement if military action becomes necessary. That's the reason why I think a second resolution is desirable, not as a matter of international law.
JOURNALIST:
Have you had any discussions with the German Chancellor or the French President?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I haven't had any discussions with Jacques Chirac or Schroeder. I did have a discussion with Gerhard Schroeder last July when I was in Germany. But I'm not, Mr Downer has been recently in Europe, so we are covering between us a lot of bases.
JOURNALIST:
[Inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
I beg your pardon?
JOURNALIST:
Do you expect the final deployment of Australian troops...
PRIME MINISTER:
The final what?
JOURNALIST:
Deployment of Australian troops?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, I don't.
JOURNALIST:
If you are asked whether Australian troops will be dispatched to a conflict with or without a new UN resolution, what will you tell them Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER:
We won't be giving any unconditional commitments.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, will you be telling President Bush that Australia has not yet made up its mind on deploying or offering any military support?
PRIME MINISTER:
...my discussions with him what I have said publicly here.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, in terms of the second resolution [inaudible] international law...
PRIME MINISTER:
It's a matter of international law.
JOURNALIST:
That's right. So, if Australia has legal advice that our military action against Iraq would already be illegal under the current resolution?
PRIME MINISTER:
Do we have advice that it would be illegal?
JOURNALIST:
That it would be legal...
PRIME MINISTER:
I haven't...
JOURNALIST:
That it would be legal under...
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, there are plenty of views within the Government to that effect. And can I... well I've sought the advice of a lot of people, can I make the point that in 1998 we deployed 150 SAS and two refuellers to the Persian Gulf area and they were deployed in advance of a final decision being made about a commitment to military conflict, that they were deployed in the belief that there was enough legal authority under the then resolutions of the Security Council for them to take part in military action. And that belief was not challenged at the time by the opposition, in fact the former Opposition leader very strongly supported the deployment. And he in fact said the deployment would have the effect of bringing pressure to bear on Saddam Hussein and he saw great value in that deployment, which is in stark contrast to the attitude that his successor has taken in essentially analogous circumstances. I mean, what we have done in terms of strategy is essentially no different from what we've done in 1998. The difference here domestically is that in 1998 we had an Opposition leader who saw the commonsense of what we were doing and was prepared to support it and was prepared to join me at that time in supporting it. Now, there was no resolution passed by the Security Council covering that deployment.
JOURNALIST:
[Inaudible] convince the Australian public to support war against Iraq?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well Louise, I hope that we don't have to resort to military conflict. I believe that what the Government is doing is in the best long term interest of Australia. I will try very hard to put my case, effectively, to the Australian people, but this is one of those issues where while one listens very carefully to what people say and as always remains very respectful of public opinion, I always am, but in the end we have to do what we believe is right and I believe that what we are doing is right and I intend to continue with what we are doing. I will do everything I can to explain it to the Australian people. If in the end, you know, they make an adverse judgement well I understand what that means in political terms if they make an adverse judgement. I don't believe in the end you can assume they will. I'm not certain that public opinion on this issue is finally settled. I don't think it is. But whether it is or it's not, what I owe to the Australian people is the honest prosecution and commitment to what I believe and the Government believes is the best thing for Australian and that is what we are doing and that is what we will continue to do.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, is that the view, the view that you've just expressed, was that the view around the Cabinet table this morning?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I don't talk about what is in Cabinet but let me put it this way: I think there is very deep understanding and support within Government ranks for the position we have taken. It's not an easy issue. Anything involving possible military conflict is very difficult and weighs very heavily on those charged with taking the decisions. It's not something one enjoys, it's not something one relishes. I wish I were talking to you about something else and I mean that very sincerely. But this is one of those occasions when you have to call it for the long term interests of the country and I believe very sincerely the long term interests of Australia lie in playing our part in preventing the spread of these weapons, of stopping them falling into the hands of rogue states. I do believe that our alliance with the United States while it's not the dominant element or reason is important and I think that relationship as the world globalises and becomes increasingly borderless that relationship will become more rather than less important. But fundamentally what is at stake here is whether the world is going to deal with the twin evils of terrorism and the spread of dangerous weapons because if they don't deal with them, as Tony Blair put it so well at the weekend, at some moment in the future they will come together with some rather terrifying consequences for the rest of the world. Now that is what is at stake here. It may not be immediately popular, it may not be immediately apparent to everybody. But that is what I believe is at stake here, that is why I feel so strongly about it, that is why I'm going to do everything I can over the days ahead and indeed the weeks ahead to argue that case and the importance of it, to encourage others to it, and to put it both here and abroad as strongly as I can because I believe it's in Australia's interest to do so.
[Ends]