EPSTEIN:
If we can talk about East Timor, under what circumstances do you think might Australian forces need to go in there and protect Australians who are there if things perhaps stay as they are or get worse?
PRIME MINISTER:
We wouldn't go in to East Timor unless we were asked in accordance with the constitutional processes of that country, let me make that very clear. We are following the situation very carefully. We don't have immediate fears for the safety of Australians at present but I've kept in touch with the situation. I spoke earlier today to the Foreign Minister Mr Downer and I, of course, am fully briefed on everything that is happening and we remain ready to help if we are asked but that in the end is a matter for the Government of East Timor and it has to be done in a legal, constitutional fashion.
EPSTEIN:
Is there any value perhaps asking the UN and actually asking the East Timorese Government if they'd like Australian support?
PRIME MINISTER:
No I think that is the wrong way to go about it, I mean let's respect East Timor's independence. We are ready. Arrangements were put in place to be ready before I left Australia. I discussed this matter with the Foreign Minister and the Defence Minister and contingency planning began so we are able to respond if we are asked. But you wait until you are asked, you don't run around soliciting invitations.
EPSTEIN:
Any hint of a request from either the East Timorese...?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look, Raphael we are dealing with quite a serious issue here and I don't want in any way to half chew it or trivialise it. We have not been asked and until we are asked won't go, that is the position.
EPSTEIN:
And if those armoured vehicles that the Embassy used with that journalist were requested by other Australians, there's nothing stopping them being used again?
PRIME MINISTER:
Assets there, obviously if the circumstances are appropriate, can be used.
EPSTEIN:
On nuclear power, three of your senior Cabinet ministers, including your Treasurer, seem to believe that nuclear power is unviable and a very long way off. Why are we talking about it, if they believe that?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well what I'm saying and what I don't think anybody is dissenting from is that we ought to discuss the issue fully. It is clearly a debate that Australia ought to have. I don't pretend to know all of the economics, I don't know all of the science, I envy Mr Beazley in his capacity now to know exactly everything about it. I'm also in awe of his hypocrisy on the issue. Apparently it is alright to export uranium to other countries that will then produce nuclear power with all the problems he says are unacceptable in Australia. Well in my view if nuclear power is unsafe, unacceptable and anti the environment, you shouldn't export uranium to any other country. If you are not prepared to have those problems in your own country, it is a bit hypocritical to say other people can put up with the problems but Australia won't. I don't know what the end of the debate will be, but I do know this, that we face escalating oil prices, we do need to find alternative energy. There's no doubt that fossil fusels are very bad in relation to greenhouse gas emissions, I think there has been a shift in public opinion, people are more likely to look at nuclear power, even if it's some time into the future, in a different way. Now that's why I think we ought to discuss the matter and I'm amazed that the alternative government is adopting such a short sighted populist stance.
EPSTEIN:
Well Mr Beazley does oppose it on environment and national security grounds, but when he talks about it being economically unviable, isn't that just the same line that's coming from your Cabinet ministers?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well he is opposing it on many grounds, but they're not opposing it being discussed. Look we need to discuss it and in fact a number of my colleagues have been asking for a while that it be discussed.
EPSTEIN:
I am sure you spoke about the situation in Iraq when you were in Washington. The Iraqi Prime Minister is talking about taking over control of the province that the Australian troops are in within a month. The British Prime Minister put out a statement saying Iraq would be in control of much of the country by the end of the year, do you think Australians can expect you to come out with a similar statement that is about some indication of withdrawal?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look I think the worst thing to do in relation to Iraq is to start talking about half-baked timetables. The situation, the security situation in the country is still very difficult. I hope for the day when it is no longer difficult and our aim is to help the Iraqis to a position where they can look after themselves and I applaud, the new Prime Minister's sense of purpose and objective, you know, his objective of getting a secure Iraq but I am not going to commit Australia to any particular deadline and I don't actually hear President Bush or Mr Blair committing themselves to deadlines. President Bush didn't commit himself to any deadlines when I discussed this matter with him in Washington. The more progress we can make, that is terrific, but the last thing we should do is have a premature withdrawal and see the country fall into civil war, that would be a terrible mistake.
[ends]