PRIME MINISTER:
Well ladies and gentlemen, I don't know that I've got a lot to add to what I said last night, we've had the first session, there was some discussion on Zimbabwe and we're going to come back to that but the session this morning was very brief because it was largely taken up with the opening ceremony.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, why was it that CMAG wasn't able to come up with a clear recommendation as to what should be done on Zimbabwe?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't know because I wasn't at the CMAG meeting.
JOURNALIST:
But you certainly had a representative. And he wasn't able to tell you?
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh I get told a lot of things Jim that I don't necessarily canvas. There's a range of views on Zimbabwe, but you know Australia's view and it won't be changing.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, what about Pakistan?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think Pakistan is moving inexorably and properly to full readmission. Obviously there's some debate about the need to entrench the new framework, and that's not unreasonable, but once that's done or some satisfactory arrangement is concluded regarding that I see no reason why Pakistan should not be readmitted.
JOURNALIST:
Did Mr McKinnon...
PRIME MINISTER:
I beg your pardon.
JOURNALIST:
Did Mr McKinnon, is he being returned as Secretary-General?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well that's a matter for the CHOGM to decide at the appropriate time. But we support Mr McKinnon very strongly.
JOURNALIST:
Was there any progress in the initial executive session towards a resolution on Zimbabwe?
PRIME MINISTER:
I think we've begun to address the issue, although I think that's as far I'll be put it at this stage.
JOURNALIST:
But were you looking today for something decisive Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER:
I beg your pardon.
JOURNALIST:
Would you have preferred something decisive?
PRIME MINISTER:'
Well Geof I suppose people might argue it would be a good thing if the thing had never arisen but I have a view about Zimbabwe, I think everybody knows it, and whatever views are held in other quarters I naturally respect them but I think there are a lot of people who in different ways share my view. And after all we only met very briefly after the opening ceremony so I think we are counseled to have a little patience.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister ChretiŠn seems to be backing away from a Canadian proposal for a some sort of a half way measure, some sort of monitoring system for the Zimbabwe...
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I've not had a discussion in any depth with him, we've exchanged about 30 seconds on the subject so I don't really know what his real thinking is and I'm not going to comment.
JOURNALIST:
What sort of direction do you think the negotiations...
PRIME MINISTER:
Look can I suggest that we're sort of trying too hard to reach a conclusion about something based on a very very brief opening session, I mean I know you've got to file something for tomorrow night and everything but look it's just altogether too early and I think people who sort of make judgments that we're making progress or not making progress, I mean it really is quite silly. I'm here to fulfill a courtesy to all of you but I really don't have anything very much to say at the moment.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, just on a mechanical point, do you expect it to be taken up as a priority in the session this afternoon?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look Jim I am not going to get into that kind of specificity.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, can I ask you about the missile defence shield?
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes you can.
JOURNALIST:
Indonesia has reacted negatively to us joining up with the Americans. They're saying that there's a sufficient deterrent to any rogue states like North Korea from the mightiest navy the world has even seen, that's the US Pacific fleet, I mean what is the need for this missile defence...
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I haven't seen the Indonesian response so I won't comment on it. The need for it and the commonsense of it was outlined by the Defence Minister, it's obviously something that in the future could be of extraordinary importance to our region and it makes a lot of common sense for Australia to look at being part of it.
JOURNALIST:
But why would...
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I've stated my view, I mean I know you may disagree with it but I can't put it any more plainly.
JOURNALIST:
I'm just asking you a question and the question was why would a rogue state send a missile to America or Australia when they know they're going to get absolutely hammered by the biggest military the world's ever ...
PRIME MINISTER:
You assume that rogue states of the future have a limited capacity to deliver damage and I think that's a very unwise assumption to make.
JOURNALIST:
Could I just ask you a question about the process in relation to Zimbabwe, I'm unclear on this, is it necessary for this CHOGM to formally reaffirm suspension of Zimbabwe or could it in the end simply discuss the subject and move on without actually doing anything?
PRIME MINISTER:
That would be unrealistic.
JOURNALIST:
So it needs to take a decision of some sort?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well Zimbabwe was not invited, therefore in that one act or omission there's a clear indication that Zimbabwe is not regarded as being back in the Councils of the Commonwealth and in those circumstances mere failure to discuss the Zimbabwe or to reach a conclusion wouldn't automatically overturn in my view the suspension. Zimbabwe is, in my judgment, still suspended, that's why she wasn't invited. The issue will be further discussed but it's too early in the meeting for me to answer with any satisfaction to you all of your questions, it's just too early, the meeting's only just started.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, in your discussions with India, what was their attitude to Pakistan's readmission, are they in favour or...
PRIME MINISTER:
They didn't express total opposition to it, we didn't really touch upon that very much, we only really talked about bilateral issues.
JOURNALIST:
What did you talk about?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we talked about Australian investment in India, we did talk a little bit about the lowering of tensions between India and Pakistan, we talked about the cricket, and I invited Mr Vajpayee to visit to Australia.
JOURNALIST:
Did he accept?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well he's going to look at his programme.
JOURNALIST:
You haven't been to India for some time either, not on a formal bilateral.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I have, yes, I went to India in 2000.
JOURNALIST:
On the way home...
PRIME MINISTER:
On the way home from, well that was a proper visit, the fact it was on the way home from somewhere else...
JOURNALIST:
Was it a state visit though?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I forget now, I'd have to check that Karen. It doesn't have to be a state visit to sort of be a visit.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, the eavesdropping cameras revealed that you had an informal bilateral with the Queen on the subject of rugby. Did she at any time convey which of her subjects she was barracking for?
PRIME MINISTER:
No.
JOURNALIST:
What did you she convey about rugby?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well it's not normal to go into the details of such discussions, informal or state or otherwise.
JOURNALIST:
Even about rugby?
PRIME MINISTER:
Even about rugby, except we did discuss it and related subjects of general sporting interest to different countries.
JOURNALIST:
Did she even follow the rugby?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look, I think her sporting preference is well know, and it's not either of my sporting passions. Or it's not indeed any one of my many sporting passions.
JOURNALIST:
In the general sense, how important is the issue of Zimbabwe as a test of relevance for the Commonwealth?
PRIME MINISTER:
I think it's quite important, I don't know whether you listened to what I had to say this morning but I did make the point that the Commonwealth is at its best when it sticks by its values and if you're going to throw the book at Fiji and Pakistan and Nigeria you've got to be consistent when it comes to Zimbabwe. Now that is Australia's view and that view will not be changing, irrespective of the views of other countries.
JOURNALIST:
Are you worried that if a different attitude were to prevail it would send a signal about democracy...
PRIME MINISTER:
I think if the Commonwealth fudges it over Zimbabwe it will do itself damage, that's my view.
JOURNALIST:
There was a story on allafrica.com website this morning suggesting that Mr Mugabe might be about to foreshadow his retirement.
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't know anything about that.
JOURNALIST:
Would him departing from Zimbabwe have any impact on your attitude, the Commonwealth's attitude, would that make any difference or he was no longer...
PRIME MINISTER:
It's the institutional arrangements and so forth that have to be addressed. There was a rorted election, when you have a rorted election you have to somehow or other expunge that.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, is there any possibility that this meeting will reconstitute the troika or a similar troika?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think it's too early Dennis to answer that. There are a range of ways in which the issue can be dealt with so far as process is concerned. And there's an issue of principle and then there's a process. Now there's a range of outcomes that could establish this or that process...
JOURNALIST:
Do you have a preference?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, I don't have a preferred, as long as I'm satisfied that the Commonwealth principles are going to be upheld I don't really mind, I'm not hankering after another troika or any particular role for myself, what I want is an outcome and a process that upholds Commonwealth principles.
JOURNALIST:
Did you as the retiring Chairman-in-Office report on what had happened vis-a-vis Zimbabwe to the executive session?
PRIME MINISTER:
That wasn't necessary because it's on the public record.
JOURNALIST:
So did you contribute in the sense of (inaudible) Australia's (inaudible).
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't think I need to reiterate Australia's views Jim, they're very well known. Well we've had a discussion but there'll be further discussion and it's all altogether too early.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, just one quick one, President Mugabe has made a speech at a state funeral in Harare yesterday when he said he'd unilaterally pull out of the Commonwealth. If he was to do that, how would his country suffer and what would that mean for the relevance of the Commonwealth as a body that can discipline...
PRIME MINISTER:
Well it's a very hypothetical question and I'm not going to answer it.
Thank you.
[ends]