Press Conference given by the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr
E. G. Whitlan, at Vigyan Bhavan, New D-lhi, at 3.15 6 June
1973 Prime Minister: Mr, D'Penha and ladies and sentleen: You alreatr
have a copy of the conmunique that your Prime inister and I have
issued, so I think I'll just invite you to ask questions of me forthwith.
When I give my weekly press conference in Canberra, I start off with
the decisions that the Cabinet has made that day. Then I have questions.
Well, of course, I can't announce any Cabinet decisions, so we'll
just have the questions.
Mr. Virendra Mohan, Sir, you have been talkimn about creating
a peace zone in the Indian Ocean and you want in play a leading part
in that. Since Australia has so many militarj alliances with the
Western countries, could you please explain how would the countries
in this region establish the bona fides of Australia
Prime Minister: The proposal for a zone of peace in the Indian
Ocean came from Sri Lanka at the General Assembly of the United Nations
in 1971. At that time, India supported the proposal. . IMy memory
is that the then Australian Goverrment, our predecessors, did not.
When the sane proposal cane up six months ago, ry Goverrment supported
the proposal and, in particular, the new aspect-of it that there
should be an ad hoc conmittee to examine and develop proposals for
this zone of peace. And Australia, like India, was elected to
that committee, that ad hoc conmittee. Accordingly, this was one
of the things that your Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and I
discussed because we not only belog to this ad hoc committee, but
this year we both belong to the Security Council of the United
Nations. Now, it's true that there are some military installations
in Australia under agreements with the United States. There is
one particular one at North West Cape in Australia, whose title
describes where it is. Eut these at this stage are purely that
the ad hoc committee is exanining, purely exploratory discussions
and it wi? ; ake zome time, presumably, before a zone of peace can
be achieved. But we want to play our part. I don't think I should
accept your description we want to play a leading part. We want
to play our part, full part, in seeing that any disarmament proposal
which is available for support or ratification by the littoral
and insular States in the Indian Ocean is supported or ratified.
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My Government has already ratified all such proposals and which
are available up to this stage.
Suresh, of Reuters: Are you comparing the situation why Australia
would ask for the scrapping of installations in Australia
Prime Mnister: The installation at North lVest Cape operates under
an agreement which v,, as made 10 years ago for a space of 25 years
if there is a treoat that extends until 1988. Our Minister for
Defence is proposirg later this year to go to ; hc United States
to seek modifications of that treaty, both as to the duration of
it, and also as to the scope available to Australia under the treaty,
to ascertain and ejprove the use of it.
Chakravarty, from " The Iindustan Times": Would you, Sir, kindly
explain really what this peace zone implies. Ebr one thing the
assumption is that the big powers really are the naughty boys who
come and create tension. As far as I know, none of the littoral
States, including Australia, has really any naval force worth the
task it will undertake, even for surveillance, much less to prevent
the big powers from coming in. Now, how do you go about it
Is it merely a wish depending upon the goodwill of the big powers,
or just a self-satisfaction, or what is it really
Prime Minister: Obviously, one can't have a zone of peace in
the Indian Ocean unless the great powers, particularly those powers
which have great raval forces, agree. Nevertheless, there can
be quite a deal of suasion exercise on the great naval powers, none
of which, of course, abut on the Indian Ocean. If all those nations
who do abut on the Indian Ocean concert measures to dissuade them.
This will take some time, but I am prepared to let bygones be bygones.
Well, I don't think anybody should dispute the great power rivalry
has been a cause of major tension and violence in the area between
India and Australia, particularly in South-East Asia.
Question: Mr. Sabarwal: Can there be a zone of peace in the
Indian Ocean while the United States has military bases all over
the region The seventh fleet is roaning about. It is being
followed by the Soviet fleet. China is augmenting its naval
power, so is Japan. So, it is just a wishful thinking
don't you think so 3
Prime Minister: There are fewer naval ships in the Indian Ocean
thau in the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean, as I understand it. We
certainly can agree not to promote naval rivalry in the Indian Ocean.
I don't think one should exaggerate the size of the Soviet or the
American fleets which roan the Indian Ocean.
Swaninathan, " Deccan Herald": In the joint ccmmnaique it is stated
that the Australian Prime Minister state d that ms Government
not only intends to expand the present progranme of assistance
engaged here, but has also given consideration to further changes
in Australia's preferential trade with developing countries.
Could you expand on this please
PRIME MINISTE: I couldn't list any specific proposals at this
stage. We were discussing many of these matters, the fields in which
there can be co-operation between India and Australia. Iuich of
the Australian interest in India, I gather, has been particularly
effective and welcome because it is appropriate to the climate, to
the pastoral, t) e agricultural situation of India. Australisns
have developed, as you expect, skills in respect of dry land agriculture.
They have participated in several stations with cattle and with
sheep, I think to a certain extent with grains. We have also shared
in the development of better varieties, more palatable, more nutritious
varieties of bread and these are not inmense schemes they are not
dramatic schemes, but they have gone on for quite some years and
I have been gratified on this visit to hear the extent to which these
schemes between Australia and India are appreciated by Indian inisters
and officials. I have brought with me on this occasion Sir John
Craford, who has had a long record in administrative and academic
circles. He would, I suppose, have visited India more often than
any top officialand he has had discussions with your Ministers and
officials and I have also brought Mr McKay, who is the Permanent
Head and Secretary of our Department of Overseas rade. So, while
I would claim no great expertise in in these matters nmself, you
will see that Sir John Crawford and Mr M( Kay's presence indicate
that I want to involve the top experts available to my Government
in arrangements ,' ith the Government of India. in these respects.
NowasI can't list further schemes, I suppose that if you want to
know more later, I can get some addresses or nases from the High
Commissioner or his staff. But, nevertheless, the general scheme
we want to develop is that Australians as individuals, coming
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from a country which has had may of these problems, a country
which I think can be said is not so overbearirg economically, that
it doesn't unders land the problems of India.
Question: This momirg the Minister for Agriculture met you Sir.
Did he discuss with you the food position in India and did he ask
for anr assistance f= m your country
Prime Minister: He discussed the food position in India, but he
didn't ask for food assistance because as our : spresentatives in
Delhi have made knovm, this last season has been a very bad one for
Australia. We have no spare wheat, for instance, ourselves, nor
I think ay spare rice. And we, in fact, wcre not able to fulfil
some orders which were offered to us for wheat and rice. There are
limitations in Australia on the number of acres, I think you call
them hectates, which can be planted with such crops. But those
limitations have been virtually lifted for this coming season.
That means that we would expect, unless there is some weather reverse,
to produce much more grain in the next season. That doesn't mean,
however, that there can be ay wheat available before next Ibbruary,
nor rice, I think, before next May.
Bill Mann, Associated Press: You mentioned the possibility of
renegotiatirg with the United States about the-communications station
at North West Cape. Are these negotiations alreay in progress,
or does your Goverment want to start such negotiations now
Prime Minister: They have been initiated tmrough America's and
Australia's diplomatr c representatives in their respective capitals,
but there will be no negotiations until later in the year. I
think I should say that the agreement which was made in 1963
was one which America would not expect any coun-ry now to undertake
and which, I an certain, no country now would undertake. But
it is there until 1988. Its conditions are not satisfactory
in the present clikate of international opinion. I don't want
to pursue matters concernirg the United States and Australia when
I an outside my own country. I don't want to go into any further
detail on this subject.
Vinod Gupta. 3Samachar Bharati: Mr Prime inister, you had a
discussion with our Lrime Minister on the situation in the sub-continent.
What do you thil are the prospects of peace here and would you like
to make an observation about the Pakistan move in the World Court
or certain othor matters taken by Pakistan in the international
conmunity to
Prime Minister: I don't want to accept many invitations/ conment
on relations betecen India and other countries because I've been at
many places over the years where I know that relations between India
and Pakistan have dominated discussions to the exclusion of most
other matters. I an optimistic that the de facto situation of
Bangla IDsh and Pakistan will now be accepted by Pakistan and by
China. I would not only be naturally distressed, but I would be
very much surprised if there was an outbreak of war again.
Mukheree, The Times of India: Question not clear.
Prime Minister: We have taken no steps to seek an invitation to
attend the non-aligned conference at Algiers. If we are asked to
attend, we shall accept that invitation. We would do so as an
observer, because it can't be said that Australia is a non-aligned
nation. To give you an exanple, however, of a cocntry which is
very similar to Australia in most aspects which you like to contemplate,
S Canada. Canada is not a non-aligned country, but it has, on occasion,
accepted an invitation to attend the non-aligned conference as an
observer. The idea about this cane two or three months ago when
the Prime Minister of Yugoslavia after visiting India cane on to
visit AusoTalia. Yugoslavia, India, Egypt, I think, were the
original sponsors of the non-aligned conferences, the first beirg
held in Belgrade back in the 1950s, and he mentioned this subject.
We didn't seek an invitation, but we said tc him, as we have said
when this matter has arisen since then, that if we receive an
invitation, we shall accept it.
Question: Sir, did you discuss this matter in your discussions
here with Mrs Gmandhi
Prime Minister: I forget whether it. I think that just about
one sentence, I think it didn't occupy about as much time as I have
Uta1en
in nsxerirg the question. Th . e fact is that wie are not a
non-aligned country, but if we receive an invitationt to attend the
conference as an observer, wie would accept it. But it cane up
in the general context of the arrangemernts that each of our-countries
has or is to have with other countries.
Juestion: 0. idea of forming an -josociation of -Azian
and Pacific countries &, nd 1he general discussion here with the Prime
Minister
Prime Minister,. Not withttbe Prime Minister. ThLe Foreign Minister
asked me wha L had iii mind in this regard and I told him that the
matter proceeded no further than that. You will understand that
while I was having direct discuissions with your 11inisters, and their
advisers and my advisers were docidcd that we each sought the views
of the other on matters which concerned either of us. It was an
excellent opportunity to deal directly and, if niecessary, intensively
with arW of thesq matters. Now you will appreciate that historically
Australia has belonged to certain organisations they aren't correctly
described as regional but, nevertheless, we have during the 1950s
and 1960Is joined certain organisations. Perheps to heRlp you while
we are all here tog, : tltlr, I were to go tln'ouglh-the. i The first was
in 1951 when AustrnaJ a, New Zealand and the United Sitates formned
the . ANZIJS treaty. Thbis was a week before there was the -peace treaty
signed with Japan in-San P~ rancisco as part of the deal. And this
* is a-treaty which a23-tl= Ie of us regard. as still relevant and
valuable. After theP Gorzva Conference in 194 11cLanila. pact was
drevim up and SEATOII vas formed as its instrument in aibout 1955.
Eig6t nations belonged to i# not all of them, of courase, in th-e
region. a-io df them have now withdrawn from the orgaisation
Pdistan and Rc-ance.. Its objective was to contain China. That,
of course, iu' d now 41&' vto be a futile objective. I have said
that the SEATO treaty is moribund. We haven't dom anything so
dramatic as to withdraw frm it. But, io will rot tolerate anyw
anti-Chinese aspe cts of it., It's already pulled its head
The 1Manila. Pact may still1 have some residual virtues. . We are prepared
to give it achano but not if it involves any -nti--Chinese containin~
n. fli~ h~ w&~ N ext th~ r6 w~ o 1966 W~ hen President
Lyndon Johnson was. sceir support. to. legitmate or -dresu Anerica' s
intervention in Vietra... Jn Manla& aain ASPAC was fon~ ied,
11 1I
-AbR t. r..~~ il
It's entirely a repgion& i 6: rgarasatioñ. It is th-. e only regional
organisation of a. political character to whrich. Japan belongs or
Australia belong., s, w~ hich haP the vice, however, of having, amnrg its
mEmbers Taiwan. Half the mEmbers no ' longer reccgise the, Govermn~ t
in Taipeh as the Gov= Laent of the whole of Cina. TLhey now
recognise the' fact th at the Goverment in PekingT is . the, Governnment
of the whole of China kind that TaJiwan-is a province of~ China,
as, of course Ch1.1iacg Kai She* says just as nu-1h Vs 1ap M e Twi
says.;, kist ralia,' YNm eVelad apan nokv accit the In these
circumstances tlab uitility, of-A2PAC is' ' greatly7 reducdd. ' It is now
* ana obstx~ ctiofrL to, regiunal aragerhents. TinW y' there are the
ave Power Arraxjements under w-hich Britain, -Australia and , New
Zeala. nd have made defence a-Tgements in case of contirfngencies
* with Malaysia and Singapore.. 1r Goverrment supports the 1ave
Power Arraxgrnents bec= e the reasons they p.~' vide for btqilaing
Malaysia and Singapore' a defence capacity,. enabling them to stand
on their feet and providing for consultation in the case of attacs
fmm outside u-pon'then.. We dont't support the feature of stationiig
a battalion or battoxy in Singapore. Singapore h ad never asked
for then the. presence of the battery or battalion are not
necessary under the -Five Power Arrarpganent. -The Fi. ve Power
Arrngements are transitionial arrarfemetts and a.' e accept , them.-
We ane quite happy in Austraia to cons ilt wi-th other countries
in any respects -which will make them better able to stad on their
fedt in defence ma1ters. Now. those are the three regional argarge-
* ments to whiich Australia is a party."' You will 6.0e thaI they are
even moribund, objectiona-ble or transitional. Wie don' want to be
entirely negative. We just don't denounceO p ullbu of such
arran~ gements. It-is better to give some other arrawements if
one can. They are dealing, I should imragine, to have lsomethifng,
like the Crgani~ ation of American States or the Orgai9ation of
Afia Unity/ To give the situation which Alustralia. find~ s,
South Australia and N~ w Zealand both have ver grat links -with'
Japan. but there is joorg . nisation to which-they belong oth= r.
thantheAsii ] velowxenl Bank or the . ECAV. E' o we would envisagc
the creation o C some, arangerient under which -the nati6ns bdt-veen
I.', us should consult regularly. I hasten to aqsure you there is
( fsuggestion t~ iat li: is shsould be, a military, pact.. There wold1
Ynev~ r be', T would gu ss he litary pact dran isaxywer
q n the Wworr'r 17 pol Dne in gny,'
j. U AI J
8-
military sense. There is at this stage only one regional
organisation which has coherence and a fatare. That is ASI'AN,
the Association of South East Asian Nations in-donesia. Singpore,
Mlaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. "' PAN -wants to consolidate
itself for exadn. It gives prort tonw mianbership by
Bunna and the f'ou. r Indo-China States.
Question: Question not clear.
Prim Minister. I don' t subscribe to the idea.. The general
principle is, of course, that the ships of any nation, whether they
are merchant marine or Navy, can sail aihrwhere on the high seaw.
Question: Rred iBridgeland, Reuters: Clearly as a result of your
visit here, ti-ere has been intensification of finendship between
India and Au. stralia. Bat what I a wondering at is has there
F1or0 exmrple, India is vey keen on exporting its manzfactured
prodd clts to other counries and I don't see in your commtunique
that you speak of the desirabillity of secuxing greater diversifation
of economic relat-ions. Have you made aTV ccxriutment to import,
for example, Irhdian made engineerirg goods
Prime Minister, I an not in a position to makce commitments in
such particularitics. It is tnie, and I ' ielcome the op~ ortunity
to say, that iThc-a is ixv a great industrial iation. India's
ergineerirg is first class. I hope that othcr nations will realise
how skilled and dependabl e India' s f actories .11, d wcikshops are in
this regard. Aastral-ia, however, even more than. India has a mixed
ecoom... There are a great number of activities in Australia
industries wjhere the decisions to purcha~ se must be made by directors
of companies. I would hope that this visit will alert people in
Australia and in India to the fact that thore are more goods which
we Can buy frm each other. Bat there is not a specific proposal
in this regard. I think that somewhere else in the
cormniqual~ h~ se about extending the axmE. anents which our
predecesso~ rs initiated of giving, tariff preference for goods from
developing countries. Yes, in paragraph 15 of t ' he conmunique you
will see something that was deliberately put in ahd I thinkc it
ywas an initiative by Australia and a tribute to our prededossors
in office for havi t initiative..., and xv-, e would be happy to
' I 0 9
9-
extend it. We have discussed questions today th-ere was a reference
in one of-L the earlier quest1-ions for extension of agricultural
co-operation and th-1-en there were discussions between me aid-the
ricultu-re and Coiicrce M. iister on., say, the wool industry and
the iron ore industryw, particularly the exports. These are matters
which ve di~ lnlt conclude today. I arn not t~ he relevant Minister
in. these matters, -: a. ft1-ough it was verv us L or metU eryu
Ministers on tlizse subjects. Rat mxy princip,, l public service
advisers, as I : u, 7e ared, who axe here, w-id I thiik there is a
chance of flo r t . esc thirgs up. I take the general view
that any Govermen~ t, any enterprise should bear in ind that
0India is not onlay the second lai-best nat~ i. on in the world in terms
of population, but has, by comparative standards, a very stable and
dia'ble set of inistitutions.
Mrh. Suni: Mr Prime Minister, I'Im contin~ ing the smne question
asked by ni -predoc -ssor. There has been a talkc of joint ventures
between the two countries. -So far Australia's trade with India
been of very small ard meagre...
Cannot it be possible for us to get together also...
Prime Minister. ' here is no plan at this stige, but I think you
can be assured that there wjill be a consultation between India
and Australia and some other inon ore cxportiJrg countries of these
matters. Now, i don' t wiant to be tILI r ot suggesting
for instaxme, the
OPEC to the price and quantities at whi~ ch we will sell petrleun
products to thirsty industrial counatries on either side of the
North Atlantic. . qvn ot sugestirg that. 1hv-oi rrient is very
mucL mare of * thce need to develop s~ mc resources policy. We
rave a federali system in Australia as you do in India. . And,
unifortunately, fCrLM the point of view of " w Govermnent, the
arrargements which hazve been madc for the e~ c loitation, transportation
and processing and sale of our minerals have beer. nmade
by multi-national corporations under the anLspices of our State
Goverrrents. The State Governments have f allon.
My Govermnent ha,-been in just for six months and I would imagine
.6
10
that in the sense o~ f resources, our greatest achievement has
been to transform the practices with respect to these very valuable
natural resources. We are now settin~ g up a Federal ' Pipeline
Authority for the natural gas in Australia. W,' e have applied to
all minerals what hidtherto had been applied to some minerals only
mainliy an export -programe, sc that the contracts which are made
from now on for the export of our minerals w,. 1 lbe
a1pproved on a nati-onal basis. ile have renegotiated the agreements
for the sale of Australian iron ore to Japan, wh ich had been made
in U. S. dollar These required renegotiation since just befone
Christmas we , z~ valucd the kust -ii an dollar aEgainst the U. S. dollar
a-d then, four months ago, the U. S. dollIar was devalued by its
Government. So, we have renegotiated those ogain and then, lastly,
we have made arements to assert the national juuisdiction
over the continental shelf and the seabed aTO he resources of
them below and beyond the low-water mrk~. Our States have found
this far too revolutionary an idea. They are going of f to London
at the moment asking the British Govermnent to save them from the
Australian national Goverrment.
aiestion: Question not clear. WhyV is the comnunique shy
o f nanixg
Prime Minister: T-rmce is not the only country. which carrim* es out
nuclear tests in -the atmospht-ere. China a-so ccarries them out.
* Australia has tdcon proceedings againrst Rraico and not aigainst China
in the International Curt of Justice becauSe Prance is China is
not a party to the statute of t.. e Iternational Court of justice
and because France is Chiina is not a p,-xty to the 1928
for the peaceful settlement of internatiornal dis putes. Australia
has, thereforep asked the Court to rule that this international
dispute between. signatories to the 1928 Genox'al Act falls within.
the jurisdiction of the World Court. We can't ta-ke those proceedings
against China because it is not a party to . Act.
Qaestion: Mr li'ine Minister, I'm told that your Govermient is
reviewing your relations with U. K. Am-you adopting a more radical
Spolicy. Had you any discussions with India haiving joint moves
. in-the Conronwealth?
Prime linister: No, No, there have been no suggestions, no discussion
on this aspect. I'm not quite sure that I get the intention behind
your question, the drift of it. As for the Comornmealth, myr Goverrment
lays great stress upon it because more than half the members of
the Comonorelth are around or in the Indian Ocean and the South
Pacific Ocean, the two Oceans which wash Australia's-shores. The
Comnmormealth thus provides a natural forum witiin which Australia
and all these oti,, er countries can discuss ary matters at all. You
scarcely would find such a diverse set of natioris economically and
politically as there are in the Ccmmoraealth, but the discussions
which takce place between them in in that frnework are much moie
tolerant, patient, than take place between such diverse nations in
any other circumstances. Now that being between
SAustralia and Britain. There are two particular matters where
we want to make a change. We still have God Save the Queen as
our National Anthem and, particularly, among younger people who are
interested in sporting events and so on, they find this is a matter
of shame or at least ridicule that if any of our people win an
international event, the British National Anthem is played to
conmmemorate the occasion. And we are holdirg a competition to
devise a National Anthem of our own. Now this is scarcely a
revolutionary idea. It should have happened ages ago. Australia
really is one of the oldest States in the world. Now, we have
had independence throughout this century. Ve still kept on this
relic. There is another thirng that we want to charge. I told
you that we are a federal system and it is still possible for litigants
to take their disputes in appeal from the Supreme Courts of our
States to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London.
It is, of course, absurd that citizens of axy country can litigate
their differences before a court sitting in another country,
composed of Judges appointed by the Goverment of that other
country and giving judgements in the for of advice to the head
of State of that other country. The Judicial Committee of the
Privy Council delivers judgements which are advice to the Queen
of the United Kingdom, not to the Queen of Australia. ell, this
is a matter which we are aiming to alter. I an embarrassed and also
I an ashaned because it find it more ludicrous than anything else,
but the Australian States are now asking the British Goverrment
to keep thie Privy Council to save them from Australia's own courts. I have
ro doubt Australia's Judges are not amused.. You must bear with
it these colonial hangovers. Now, inidentally, the title
.12
of -the Queern in Australia has been for the last 20 years, Elizabeth
II, by the grace of God, of the United Kingdom, Autralia and her
ortehlem s nd errtories Queen, head ofO the Corrmomealth, Defender
of the Faith. Now. over Easter it was arranged betwveen us that
the title should now be and there is an Act before our Parliament
to ratify this, Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen of Australia
and other rea1xns a~ nd territories, head of -the Corrmomealth. The
Queen positively vielcomes being described as 4. ieen of Australia,
instead of Queen of the United Kingdom, Australia, Ctc. She
positively welcomes t'hat and there is no Oisagrecnent about dropping
the title Defender the Faith, which has no histrnica. or
constitutional validity, in Australia. We are a separate country
from Britain. ' We cire an entirely independent country. Vie have
. the same head of State, but the head of State f-unctions are carried
out by the Governor-Gcneral, who is nominated by the Queen on the
advice of the Auntraliaxi Governuent and now it will aways be an
Australian citizenw; ho is the Govenro-General.
Q2estion: Ame you convinced that Britain is interested in the
Conioiveth
Prim Minister: Britain is no longer obsessed o~ ith the Cormon--
wealh. tplrce much emphasis on it.. 4k
but that doesn't moa , the other members: of the iCbnmealth shouldn't
place emphasis on tvit. There would be relations betw4een Australia
and Britain whether there was still a CoiMovelth or not, or whether
Britain and Australia v-, ere both or either in the Commrorealth or
mot. I value the Conhiomealth particularly because as I say it is
verywid-) read and a tolert'nt oiiganisation to vh]~ i: 1ch so ma. V
States within Austr-alia's general environnent belong. I believe
there is value for us in this connection.
Mr Raghavan, P. T. AMr Prime Mfiister, what is the position
of the Asian-Pacific Association..... . Is it correct to assume that
you am' not having in mind any security arrangements as such or wV
security ideas and if it is an organisation that you are envisaging
like the Organisation of Africani Unity or the Oiganisation of
American States In the United Nations itself Australia is
clubbed together with the West European countries, or you plan
to have some changes in this direction
( I 3
Prime Minister: I certainly wouldn't envisage that any arrangements
which are made in the Western Pacific or South-East Asia
would have any military connotations. I wouldn't wish it. I
would think it quite unrealistic to expect them even if I did wish
thm. Australia; Canada and Iew Zealand, I thirk, are grouped
with the Western XEropean nations for the purpose of filling the
vacancies on the Security Council and on the verious organs of the
United Nations. It's purely a voting pattern, purely for electoral
purposes. There is no ideological.......
It's just for electoral purposes. And
in that group don't get together, as I understand it, to have
political discussions cr to caucus on decisions they will take.
I take this opportunity of saying that I have made it plain to our
0 representatives in the United Nations that from now on they are not
only to ascertain what the intentions on any resolution are by
Britain and America. I also want to be inforned what compary we
will be in in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. To give examples,
I don't say that this is exhaustive. I want my officers to advise
me always what they believe the coting intentions will be of
Canada, Japan, Indonesia, India and some of the African countries,
for example Tanzania. I find it quite objectionable that so often
in the past Australia found herself voting on the other side to
all her neighbours, including all the Commonvealth countries in the
Indian Ocean. I thirk this is irrational. I , think it is counterproductive.
It doesn't mean that one disregards on how Britain
and America are going to vote, but they are not the only people to
whose vote one will pay regard. There can be instances where
the interests of 3ritain or America may diverge from those of
Australia. And, of course, there can be instances where the
interests of India and Australia can diverge. The main thing
is, however, that we should at least understand what each of
us has in mind, wihat wve regard as our interests.
Question: Question not clear relates to the massive anns
deal concluded with KLuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iran. oIn't you think
redkless and irresponsible
Prime Ministor: I have really only discussed these matters
in any degree...... this week and I wouldn't like to express a
view on the short and shallow opportunity I have so far had
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to discuss the matter. The Persian Gulf is very obviously now
in every sense the Persian Gulf and these sJa 1 States around the
Gulf with a total population of, I think, only 200,000, have very
great oil reveues and they are able to establish very considerable
air forces. I thirk they are only 1fighter crcraft, but I really
should look in to this more before expressing a view upon it. Iran
is a nation of considerable opulation and, in some respects, of
very great resoirccU: s a. nd it also has as i ts head of State an experienced
and determined man. WAe,/. one looks at any strategic
situation, one obviously has to have regard to the cohesion of the
nations concerned. But tire fact that Iran, one of the oldest nations
in the world, is now developirg a degree of cohesion in international
significance is a matter which doesn't worrj me. I would expect
that a nation o: f that location, of that history, of that population,
would develop significance.
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