Subjects: Meeting with Chairman Arafat; peace process; President Wahid; ACCC; Telstra shares; Gallipoli; Legionnaires Disease.
E&OE ……………………………………………………………………………………
Well ladies and gentlemen, today is the last day of my time abroad on this occasion. The discussion I had yesterday with Mr Arafat was very positive and I’ve found the three days that I’ve spent in Israel very positive.
The relationship between Australia and Israel and is very close and very strong. It has been an opportunity for me to learn just how committed the Prime Minister of Israel and the Government of Israel and the people of Israel are to the peace process and I hope that in a small, but nonetheless helpful way yesterday I was able to reinforce to Yasser Arafat the expectation of the world that something very good would come of the current momentum towards peace in the Middle East.
Certainly that was my intention, and I was heartened by his generally optimistic view. Although it is fair to say that quite a lot of difficulties lie ahead and the peace process in this part of this world has always been very tortured and very difficult and the current circumstances are no exception.
But there is a new mood, a new attitude that wasn’t there before. It’s to be found in discussions with the Israeli Government, the leadership of the Palestinian movement, the attitude of the general community here, the attitude of the Jewish community in Australia. Many members of that community have come to Jerusalem at this time. It all indicates a more optimistic and hopeful set of circumstances and I know everybody would want that to be the case.
I am very happy to answer any questions on any aspects of the visit, or I daresay you might want to ask me other questions as well.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, why is it appropriate for Yassar Arafat to visit Australia now when it wasn’t a couple of years ago?
PRIME MINISTER:
Jim, because the peace process is at an entirely different stage. Entirely different. There is an engaged dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians. There has been a quantum shift in the mood, the attitude of both sides. It’s clearly conducive to the peace process for Mr Arafat to visit other countries, including Australia. Whereas three years ago the circumstances were different.
JOURNALIST:
Do you think he has changed, Mr Howard?
PRIME MINISTER:
Everybody changes.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister what’s [inaudible] precisely can Australia be doing? We will be using our good offices at the UN for example?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well generally Glenn, my discussions with the Israeli Government are an opportunity, have been an opportunity for me to say how much the people of Australia want the peace process to succeed. It’s, these things are incremental processes and you build an attitude, you add to the momentum. However small might be the addition, it is nonetheless important. And Australia, although with a population of only 19 million, we’re not a major player in relation to Middle East politics, we are a substantial respected player. This country has a lot of history, this part of the world. You were reminded of it yesterday when I went to Gaza. We have close associations with the Israelis, have had for a long time and we don’t resile from those in any way. But we also have currency with the Palestinians, we have helped, we’ve provided aid. It’s an area where we can make a contribution obviously not on the scale of the contribution made by larger countries, but it all adds to the process.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister did you get a chance in speaking with the Prime Minister of Israel and Mr Arafat to state Australia’s position on Jerusalem in the peace process?
PRIME MINISTER:
No I didn’t think it was appropriate for me to do that. I recognise that Jerusalem is a difficult issue in the process. And it would be a matter for the parties to work out.
JOURNALIST:
Did . . .
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think it’s better that I leave that for the parties to resolve.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard can I take you to a different area of international relations? Mr Beazley has been in Indonesia as you know and he’s given a press conference there in which he said that Australia and Indonesia would need a new beginning and more co-operative, more mature relationship. He talked about greater co-operation between the two countries and has suggested that Australia will have to resume military co-operation and wouldn’t rule out Australia in the future training Kopassus troops. What’s your view on that? And I take it you’ve had a few updates on what Mr Beazley said.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I hadn’t heard of that particular element, I hadn’t actually. But let me nonetheless react. I think you just take one thing at a time. The relationship has gone through strain, that’s understood. It is recovering, it is repairing, it is rebuilding. We have to each of us approach that process with goodwill, with an eye to the future rather than to the past but also recognising that as you look to the future you are not uninfluenced by the past. And I am quite sure that in the fullness of time the relationship will be rebuilt or will be established on very firm foundations. But it will be a different relationship for the reasons that I’m sure you are aware and I am aware and most of the Australian people are aware.
JOURNALIST:
Do you think Mr Beazley has helped rebuild the relationship between Australia and Indonesia by meeting President Wahid?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I don’t think it has mattered a great deal either way. But I don’t seek to politicise in a party way the relationship - unless others seek to do it and then I might respond.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard would you anticipate visiting Indonesia in the current parliamentary term for example in association with the next APEC meeting? And secondly Tony mentioned the point about defence co-operation, did you answer that point?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well on the question of visits, I was just reflecting as I came down in the lift this morning, that I think I’ve visited Indonesia more than any other country since I’ve been Prime Minister. So I think that is a sufficient answer to the suggestion that there’s some reluctance on my part of the appropriate time and appropriate circumstances to visit Indonesia. Clearly there isn’t. I’m not going to rule out the possibility of going to Indonesia at some time during the current parliamentary term. I expect I probably would, I don’t know yet. I don’t have any immediate plans. My understanding from the Indonesians is that it’s still the intention of President Wahid to visit Australia sometime in the not too distant future and that will unfold and I don’t think we should get too, how shall I put it – too focused on the precise timing of the next exchange between myself and the President of Indonesia. Suffice it to say that in the past I have never been reluctant to visit Indonesia and I won ‘t be in the future.
JOURNALIST:
And the defence aspect?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I just think it’s too early to start talking about renewing defence ties. I really do. I am not saying that we mightn’t talk about them sometime into the future, but I think to be talking about them at the moment is premature.
JOURNALIST:
Would it be preferable for President Wahid to visit Australia rather than you going to . . .
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I am not going to play that game. I was asked that question the other day and I don’t want to add to what I said then.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, Alan Fels says, has said in evidence to Senate Estimates Committee . . .
PRIME MINISTER:
I haven’t seen all of that Jim.
JOURNALIST:
He is yet to receive the directive that was promised in January that would order him to make sure that prices under the GST did not rise by more than 10%. What is the status of that directive and why hasn’t he got it?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think you ought to talk to the Treasurer and Mr Hockey about that. Because I have been out of the country for eleven days and I’m not really across the precise detail of that, I am sorry.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, Mr Patrick Dodson is reported as saying that he will not attend Corroboree 2000 because it would indicate that there has been reconciliation. Are you still planning to attend? And will you, has it been finalised yet the acceptance of the document?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I’ve certainly have intended all along to go to the Corroborree and I hope it is a very positive event. I believe it will be and I will certainly do what I can as Prime Minister to see that it is a very positive forward looking event in the life of the community. It will be an opportunity for people in their own way to speak about the importance of reconciliation. And I noted in her statement after the meeting last weekend, that the Chairman of the Council, Evelyn Scott said that different people have different views and different philosophies about reconciliation and that’s true. I agree with that utterly. And we will have some differences about the usage of language concerning past events, we all know that. We shouldn’t however, get too focused on that. It would be a great shame if the whole preoccupation is on the juxtaposition of a few words and a few paragraphs in a document. Rather than the self evident fact that the great majority of Australians are positive about future relations between aboriginal people and the rest of the Australian community. They want to remove disadvantage. They do have a sense of sorrow and regret about past injustices. And they want to go forward in a very positive way. Now that will be the frame of mind and the attitude that I will bring. The question of who receives the document, well look that’s something that we’ll give attention to and whatever indication is necessary and the government will be given. I think if there is some indications in the Act establishing the Council and which government.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister would it surprise you that yesterday 20 people turned out the front of this hotel calling on you to say sorry. I mean it’s a rather extraordinary event.
PRIME MINISTER:
No nothing surprises me Paul. Communications are wondrous in this modern world. You know that.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard will the Middle East have more priority now in your foreign policy framework?
PRIME MINISTER:
No it won’t have more priority. It’s always been important to me for a number of personal and broader political reasons, but the major foreign policy focus of Australia still remains the Asia Pacific region. I’ll be going to Korea – Australia’s second best customer - most of the time – in May, and as I indicated if you look at my travel since I’ve been Prime Minister you’ll find that the bulk of it has been to the Asia Pacific region, but not all of it and nor should it be. We have relations in North America and Europe and the rest of the world that are very important, and I don’t retreat in anyway from the re-balancing of our foreign policy which is taking place under this government.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, Moody’s has downgraded some of Telstra’s longer term ratings on the basis that is in part still part public owned, or majority public owned, do you have any reaction to . . .?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I hadn’t heard that Moody’s had done that. I won’t comment on credit ratings of companies. I don’t think that is prudent for a Prime Minister to do. You know my views on the continued majority of public ownership of Telstra and I got some useful insights into the attitudes amongst the Palestinian’s towards those matters yesterday.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard just going back to reconciliation. Do you think as the Council was set up under legislation agreed to across the parties that the appropriate way for that document being handed over to the Australian people might be to hand it to the three party leaders at Corroborree 2000?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we’re going to…when I get back I’ll give some attention to that. I’m not going to make a statement about it here.
JOURNALIST:
Do you know that the Commonwealth Government to have the power to control prices, that’s been rejected in a couple of referenda. So how do you see the ACCC enforcing your wish and your pledge that prices won’t rise by 10% or more?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think you’ve got to go back to Peter Costello and Joe Hockey on that. I have just not had enough time to get across all the detail of that and it does involve evidence he gave at the Senate Committee which I haven’t read so I’m not going to get into that.
JOURNALIST:
But can you give a guarantee that prices won’t be rising by more than 10%?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I can repeat the assurances that have given in the past.
JOURNALIST:
Is it going to be forced through the ACCC?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well Professor Fels gave an interview about that and Mr Costello and Mr Hockey are in Australia and I’m in Jerusalem. Okay?
JOURNALIST:
You’re convinced that the legislation is sufficiently strong to give force to…
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh it’s very strong legislation. The only weak area is Queensland where the Labor Government refuses to cooperate with the Commonwealth in having stronger legislation.
JOURNALIST:
You don’t think the legislation may need to be…
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I’m not going to give an answer to that here without consulting my colleagues.
JOURNALIST:
Can you jog my memories about what those previous assurances were?
PRIME MINISTER:
Good try Glenn. A bit like your question on the Sunday program – Alexander Downer – yes.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard you’re going back into Budget time. Will it be a tight budget?
PRIME MINISTER:
It’ll be a good budget. It’ll be the right budget for the times.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, Mr Arafat ……said that you had some extensive discussion on what might be going on with Syria and Syria Lebanon…have you got any details rather than just a broad statement?
PRIME MINISTER:
He talked about Syria and Lebanon. I think it really is a matter for him because much of the discussion involved him giving me an assessment of Syria’s attitude and Syria’s behaviour and I think it is better and more conducive to a positive maintenance of the peace process and I’ll leave it to him to talk about that.
JOURNALIST:
And did you discuss the issue of refugees from this region…
PRIME MINISTER:
In what context Alex? I mean you obviously can’t talk about the Middle East and Palestine without talking about refugees. Obviously they came up because I visited a refugee area.
JOURNALIST:
And whether Australia might take some of these refugees?
PRIME MINISTER:
No that was not discussed.
JOURNALIST:
What was your impression of him?
PRIME MINISTER:
Very interesting. A man who’s gone through an enormous amount. A man who is searching for peace. Who is conscious of the extremist elements that seek to undermine and overthrow him. I found him a fascinating person to meet and it has been quite an experience to taste the new approach here and that is true in relation to the Israelis as well. The Israeli Prime Minister and the Israeli President are both very strongly committed to the peace process, the Israeli people want it. There’s a passionate feeling amongst people that the death and bombing and destruction and terrorism of the past is something that they don’t want to revisit.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard in relation to your attitude on the positive attitudes on both sides. Do you understand however that Mr Arafat is certain that he thinks that the Israeli settlements ..undermine the action of the peace process?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well Jim I’m not going to give a qualitative, make a qualitative comment, upon the attitude of either sides. Obviously there are a number of obstacles and one of the issues that will get discussed is, continues to be discussed, is the issue of Israeli settlements but I’m not going to express a view.
JOURNALIST:
Do you think the Israeli’s should stop extending their settlements?
PRIME MINISTER:
I’m not going to express a view on that. I come here as somebody who wants the process to work and not as a foreigner giving gratuitous advice to either side.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard what was the most significant point during your tour?
PRIME MINISTER:
For me undoubtedly the visit to Gallipoli as the Prime Minister of Australia. That was an extraordinary experience the dawn service and subsequently the service at Lone Pine. Obviously my visit to the battlefields of the Somme where my father and grandfather served had a great personal impact on me. I had been there before but not quite with such historical precision, as was the case on this occasion. But that was more a personal experience although it’s a personal experience I share with the descendents of 300,000 Australians who fought on the western front. But the Anzac morning was extraordinary and made quite magnificent by there being so many young Australians there. That was just special.
JOURNALIST:
Do you think the .. Gallipoli can write a passage to that history.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well that’s an interesting way of putting it John. It’s something that the like of which I haven’t seen before amongst a generation of Australians. I can’t think that when I was that age – which is some time ago now, I’m 60 – that there was quite an event or a place to visit that fell into the same category. Now it’s not that people didn’t care about Gallipoli then. It’s not that people weren’t conscious and with the passage of time, and particularly over the last ten years, it’s gathered an enormous amount of momentum and there are, it’s a rich opportunity for I guess the social and cultural dieticians to have a look at and try and work out the reasons for.
JOURNALIST:
Was your visit to Israel as a young man a rite of passage then?
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh no it was just something that I personally was very interested in because of associations with Jewish friends at University. I had, I guess, an interest in this part of the world that had been nourished by those associations. I didn’t regard it sort of as a..I don’t think there was such a rite of passage. I mean it was more common for people of my generation to spend a year on a working holiday. You’d base yourself in London and then travel around Europe. That was more common. People went away for longer periods of time because work was easy to obtain in the 1960s in England than it subsequently became after the world fell into a bit of a heap in the early 1970s – economically speaking.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister just to clear up one issue – have you and your good lady wife – been tested for legionnaires disease or would you be tested for legionnaires disease…
PRIME MINISTER:
Non! No. No. Neither of us have been tested. Neither of us feel disposed to be tested because neither of us are feeling or exhibiting, to our respective knowledge, the symptoms normally associated with the disease. But I am distressed to hear about the people who have been affected and I wish them well. I’m sorry to learn of the two deaths of the older people. I certainly hope that there’s no recurrence of that.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard will you be adopting your honorific doctorate.
PRIME MINISTER:
I said to Max Moore-Wilton, Max you can still call me Prime Minister. The answer is no, no. The University, Bar Ilan University, did me a very great honour but I think the only people who are entitled to use the expression "Doctor" in front of their name, the honorific, where they really do have a genuine one and not an honorary one.
[ends]