NQ DATE
M/ 93 7 June 1973
PRIME MINIST71l'S VISIT TO INDIA: JOINT COMMTUNIQUE
The following is the text of the joint communioue issued
in New Delhi yesterday at the conclusion of the visit to India by
the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Whitlam:-
" At the invitation of Shrimati Indira Gandhi, Prime
Minister of India, His Excellency Mr Edward Gough Whitlam, Q. C.,
Prime Minister of Australia, visited India from 3 to 6 June,
1973. He was accompanied by Mrs h,.! itlam and senior officials of the
Government of Australia.
During his stay in Delhi, the Prime Minister of Australia
was received by the President of India.
The Prime Minister of Australia had extensive discussions
with the Prime Minister of India. The Minister of External Affairs,
the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Agriculture, the Minister
of Planning and the Minister of Commerce called on the Prime
Minister of Australia and discussed matters of mutual interest.
The talks were held in an PtmosDhere of friendship and mutual
understanding and covered a wide range of subjects dealing with
important international questions and bilateral relations. These
discussions revealed a close similarity of views and anDroach
between the Governments of Australia and India. / 2
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The Prime Ministers of India and Australia welcomed the
general relaxation of tension in the international situation. They
felt that this detente presents opportunities for consolidating
peace and freedom and for taking constructive steps towards social
and economic n~ rogress in a climate of international co-operation.
They expreFssed the hope that all remaining differences, particularly
in the areas of conflict, would be resolved peacefully and in
accordance with the principles of national sovereignty, territorial
integrity and non-interference in the internal affairs of states,
thereby ensuring harmony among nations and a stable pattern of
international relations.
The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their faith in the
purposes and nrincioles of the United Nations Charter. They
declared their intention to maintain active cooperation in the
United Nations, particularly in the Security Council of which
both countries are currently members.
The two Prime Ministers exchanged views on regional
cooperation. They reaffirmed the importance attached by their
respective Governments to increasing regional cooperation and the
contribution that such cooperation can make to easing international
tensions, to broadening understanding among nations and to the
economic and social advancement of countries in the region. In this
context, the Prime Ministers noted the important contribution made
to objectives by such organisations as the Colombo Plan, the
Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East and the Asian
Development Bank. The support of both India and Australia for the
Kuala L~ umpur Declaration of 27 November, 1971, calling for a zone / 13
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of peace, freedom and neutrality in South-East Asia was reaffirmed.
Both the Prime Ministers welcomed the Paris Agreement of
27 January, 1973, on ending the War and Restoring Peace in Viet-Nam
and the Agreement on Restoring Peace and Achieving National Concord
in Laos signed in Vientiane on 21 February, 1973. The Prime
Ministers underlined the need for strict observance of these
agreements so as to opnen the way to peace in all the countries of
Indo-China and. to enable the -neon~ les of those countries to settle
their affairs thiemselves without outside interference. Both Prime
Ministers reaffirmed their w. illingness to contribute to the
rehabilitation and reconstruction of this region.
The Prime Minister of India outlined the recent developments
in the sub-continent since the conclusion of the Simla Agreement,
including the Indo-Bangladesh Joint Declaration of 17 April, 1973,
as well as India's efforts for achieving . just and durable peace
leading to good neighbourly relations and cooperation among all the
states in the sub-continent. The Australian Prime Minister welcomed
the Indo-Bangladesh Joint Declaration as a n~ ositive initiative and,
while recognising the complexity of the issues involved, expressed
the hope that further progress would soon be made which would lead
to the normalisation of relations and the establishment of a durable
poeace in the sub-continent.
The two Prime Ministers expressed concern at the grave
situation in the Middle-East and reaffirmed their belief that the
United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 of 22 November,
1967 nrovided the basis for a just and durable settlement of this
serious and long outstanding problem. / 14
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The Prime Ministers discussed the current situation in the
Indian Ocean area. They hoth agreed that the area should be free
from international tensions, great nower rivalry and military
escalation. In this connection, the two Prime Ministers reaffirmed
their su-oport for the concept of the Indian Ocean as a zone of
coeace. They noted with satisfaction the establishment of the
United Nations Ad Hoc Comimittee on the Indian Ocean and the growing
supr~ ort for the inroposal by an increasing number of countries.
The Prime Ministers of Australia and India agreed that
the creation of a zone of peace in the Indian Ocean would be a
positive step towards the reduction of tensions and rivalries in
this region and agreed to cooperate bilaterally and with all states
concerned towards this end.
The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their belief in the
equality of mankind irrespective of race or colour. They expressed
their abhorrence of policies of racial discrimination, such as
anartheid, which flagrantly violate the United Nations Charter.
The Prime Minister of India noted with appreciation that Australia
', ad resumed rnembersbin of the UN Decolonization. Committee and that
Australia had signed and was now taking steps towards ratifying
t', e International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Racial Discrimination. The Prime Minister of Australia informed the Indian
Prime Minister of the strong opposition of the countries of the
South Pacific to the current and pro-nosed program of atmospheric
tests of niuclear weapons in the area.
Both Prime Ministers, mindful of United Nations endorsement
of the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the Resolution of the United
Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm in
June 1972 and the Resolutions of the United Nations General
. A-sembly, and of the World Health Assembly in May 1973 on the
harmful effects of ionizing atomic radiation, reiterated their
oposition to the testing of nuiclear weapons in all environments
and in particular to atmospheric testing by whatever nation.
Views were exchanged on matters concerning the law of
the sea, and it was agreed that officials of the two countries
would maintain close contact with a view to identifying their
common interests before the 1974 Law of the Sea Conference.
The two Prime Ministers expressed concern at the
increasing gulf between the developing and the developed countries
of the world. They were of the view that the gap must be reduced
and eventually bridged in the interest of peace and harmony among
all nations. They also emphasised that the launching of the
International Development Strategy of the United Nations Second
Development Decade, enjoining the developed countries to help
reduce the growing economic disparity between developed and
developing countries, was a significant landmark in international
economic cooperation. They expressed the hope that the developed countries would
fulfil their obligations under the International Development
Strategy. The Australian Prime Minister stated that his Government
not only intends to expand the present programs of assistance in
/ 6
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Asia, to the Pacific and Africa but is also giving consideration
to further changes in Australia's nreferential trade with developing
countries. The Prime Ministers welcomed the enlargement of the
European communities and hoped that the communities would adopt
a liberal and outward-looking approach which would contribute to
international development and world peace. They noted that
Australia and India would be looking to the communities to play
a positive part in the forthcoming GATT Multilateral Trade
negotiations and recorded the importance which they attach to the
need for these negotiations to deal with the problems facing world
trade in agricultural commodities in a satisfactory and equitable
manner. The two Prime Ministers expressed their satisfaction with
the continuing warm and friendly relations between Australia and
India and reaffirmed their desire to intensify cooperation in all
fields. Both Prime Ministers welcomed the opportunity for
consultations and exchange of views afforded by the annual
Australia/ India officials' talks. It was decided that the next
session would take place in Canberra towards the end of the year.
The two Prime Ministers agreed on the benefits of expanding
contacts between representatives of Australia and India in all
regional and international forums. -/ 7
/) 2
The Prime Ministers welcomed the development of cultural
exchanges between India and Australia since the signing of the
India-Australia Cultural Agreement in 1971. They expressed their
desire to see a further extension in the number and variety of
these exchanges at all levels. In noarticular they looked forward
to the further development. of links between universities in the
two countries, both in the scientific area, where there was much
common experience to be shared, and in the field of the humanities
as a contribution to a better knowledge of each other's history
and culture. The two Prime Ministers emphasised the importance of
greater collaboration in economic, technical and scientific fields,
the desirability of securing greater diversification of economic
relations and t'he possibility of joint ventures. The Prime
Minister of India expressed the Government of India's appreciation
of Australian assistance to economic development in. India
, articularly Australian involvemnent in long-range agricultural
development programs.
The Austr,,: lian Prime Minister stated his Government's
intention to maintain and if possible to expand its participation
in India's economic development.
The two Prime Ministers expressed their complete
satisfaction with the results of their discussions.
The Prime Minister of Australia expressed his warm
appreciation of the hospitality shown to him and the members of
/ a
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his party during his visit. He extended an invitation to the
Prime Minister of India to visit Australia again. The invitation
was accepted with pleasure. The dates of the visit would be
settled by mutual consultation."