BLITZER:
Prime Minister, on this 60th anniversary of D-Day, you're there, you're going to be in Normandy, what goes through your mind looking back over these past 60 years? Has the world learned the lessons of World War II?
PRIME MINISTER:
I certainly think Europe has. Europe fought internally in two great wars, claimed millions of European lives. It also claimed the lives of about 60-80,000 Australians, I mean we lost 60,000 men in World War I which for a tiny country was a huge loss. I think Europe has learnt that and even though as an Australian Prime Minister in the 21st century I have my frustrations with some of the economic and trading policies of the European Union to the extent that Europe coming together has made that kind of war so unlikely in the future, that's a blessing.
BLITZER:
But after World War II we heard the all the slogans "never again", "genocide", "holocaust", but if you take a look over these 60 years it's continued whether in Cambodia or Rwanda and Burundi, right now in the Sudan, there have been brutal acts of genocide over these many years and they're happening right now.
PRIME MINISTER:
But not on the scale of World War I and World War II which consumed millions. I think Europe's had its failures, I think Europe failed to deal effectively with the disintegration of the old Yugoslavia and it was only the action of like minded NATO countries, led by the United States, that finally did something to help the Muslims of Kosovo but the point I'd make is that the coming together of the countries of Europe has made a third falling out between Germany and France which lay at the heart of the two great conflicts of the 20th century, something that isn't very likely in the future.
BLITZER:
How close do Australians feel to the European, to the American theatres right now in terms of their security link?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we have a very strong historical security link with the United States, most Australians saw Americas decisive intervention at the Battle of the Coral Sea as crucial to saving Australia from Japanese invasion in World War II and that is remembered. We have a strong affinity of course for all historic reasons with Britain and Ireland and many other European countries but of course our stamping ground is predominately the Asian Pacific region and our relations with countries like Indonesia and China and Japan with which we have built a wonderful post-World War II relationship, those relations are very important. A country like Australia should not see itself as exclusively involved in one part of the world, we are a European derived nation in the Asian Pacific theatre but having very strong values and historical linkages in common with the United States.
BLITZER:
Do you have any regrets on Australia's stance going into the war in Iraq?
PRIME MINISTER:
No I don't. If I had my time over again I would have done the same thing and history will vindicate that and if a democratic Iraq does emerge it will act as a catalyst for ongoing change in that part of the world. I think it was the right decision, you can criticise different aspects of it but the fundamental decision was a correct one and I think the people of Iraq are better off without Saddam Hussein, he was a truly evil man who cared nothing for human life or human dignity and the world is a better place without him.
BLITZER:
And do you feel that most people in Australia agree with you?
PRIME MINISTER:
I think it goes up and down a bit according to the latest news. It's been a bad six weeks but the next couple of months could be different.
BLITZER:
Look ahead the next few months, do you really believe that a democracy can emerge in Iraq?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well it will take longer than the next few months, I mean it took a long time for democracy to take root in countries like America and Australia.
BLITZER:
But elections next January are scheduled, is that going to happen?
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes, I believe so, very much so. The handover on the 30th of June to the nominated interim government is the first big step and that group of people will have a greater legitimacy than did the governing council and then if we proceed towards to the elections, the terrorists will try to disrupt this and you could see more violence over the next few weeks than we've experienced over the last couple of months because everything will be done to stop this handover occurring because if it can be stopped and the coalition can be rolled then that's an enormous victory for the terrorists.
BLITZER:
Prime Minister, thanks very much.
PRIME MINISTER:
Pleasure.
[ends]