104
PRIME MINISTER'S INTERVIEW ON CHANNEL
" IN SESSION" PROGRAM
21 April, 1975
Interviewer: Prime minister, your visit to Peru will be the
first by an Australian Prime Minister to South America. Do
you think that this is an area that perhaps we have neglected
for far too long?
Mr. Whitlam: I think so. I don't say that South America
is central to Australia's economic or political concern but
it is important and Peru is the country in South America
from which the discoverers of Australia set out. It will be
quite a symbolic thing for the first visit by an Australian
Prime Minister to South America to take place in Peru.
Interviewer: In terms of Peru, Sir, are there any bi-lateral
issues that you will be raising with the Heads of Government
there? Mr. Whitlam: I think the things where we find ourselves most
in association are in matters concerning the law of the sea.
Peru is possibly the biggest fishing country in the world and
it has been in the fore-front in asserting the right of a
coastal State to exercise jurisdiction and control over the
neighbouring sea and sea-bed.
Interviewer: After Peru, you go to Kingston for the Common~ jealth
Heads of Government Conference. What issues will Australia ' be
raising at that Conference?
Mr. Whitlam: It's not so much what we will be raising. There
are agenda items in which we will all be participating. I'm
to follow the President of Zambia in discussing African matters
which are mainly political matters. We will be there together
for a full week. The Heads of Government and in some cases,;
Heads of State from the 34 Commonwealth countries and most of
them are in-the South Pacific or around or in the Indian Ocean.
So this is a body which is very important indeed to Australia's
concerns political or economic.
Interviewer: The Commonwealth has often been questioned as
far as its role is concerned. Do you think it can play a
meaningful role in terms of the -1970' s?
Mr. Whitlam: Oh yes. I have never doubted th~ e usefulness of
the Commonwealth. After all, if you get 34 countries regularly,
every 1 5 or 2 years, Conferring large or small, European, African,
Asian, Carribean, developing, Christian, Moslem, Animist, all
freely and equally discussing things, then this will have an
affect in all those bodies where each of us has to vote.
The great virtue of the Commonwealth is everybody is free,
equally to express his views. There is no other body in
the world which has that advantage. Now this means that
at least we understand each other very much better when we
go to the United Nations General Assembly or the various
specialised agencies at the United Nations and have to move
motions or vote on motions.
Interviewer: Do you think that the Commonwealth does have
any issue, for example, that really does pull them together
other than the fact that they are all members of the Commonwealth?
Is there any common ground that can be struck
between the members?
Mr. Whitlam: They are very diverse. Historically there is
the common grouqd that they were all, at one stage or another,
recently or sometimes quite a long distance back, ruled by
Britaini so there is a certain respect for the institutions
which Britain established around the world. Even if countries
depart from the standards, there is still a hankering to return
to them. The fact that there should be eldcted law-makers,
P the fact that there should be responsible rulers, the fact
that there should be impartial judges, the fact that there
should be an honest Public Service all these things are
British traditions and all the members of the Commonwealth
respect them and try with various degrees of success, to carry
them out.'
Interviewer: But can it really achieve anything consjidering
that it only meets every two years the Commonwealth Heads
of State?
Mr. Whitlam: The fact that all these people 34 countriesthe
Leaders of them, take a full week off, to discuss these
things, even if it is every 1 or two years, demonstrates the
importance that each of them attaches to this association.
There is really no body, no organisation in the world which
is better calculated to promote understanding and tolerance
and in fact, practical initiatives. It doesn't take votes on
any proposals but there is a very useful discussion of issues.
Another great virtue of it is that while there are about five
developed countries Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand
and Singapore there is a very great range, political, economic,
geographic range of developing countries and this is very valuable
an interchange of views. In so many organs of the United Nations
and elsewhere, people line up as developed or developing countries.
There is a tussle, there is a confrontation'and there is frustration.
Here, you can at least make some-progress to getting an understanding.
Of course there are some matters disarmament, development, trade
and in fact a great number of social and cultur~ al matters which
concern them all.
Interviewer: After Kingston you fly to Washington. This will
be the second time you have met President Ford within a period
of six months. What are the bi-lateral issues that are likely
' to be raised in your meeting with the President?
Mr. Whitlam: There might be any number of matters, but I
imagine that the immediate ones will be questions such-as South
East Asia and resources.
Interviewer: One of the points that may be raised, would it
be ANZUS?
Mr. Whitlam; The ANZUS Treaty Meeting is taking place while we
are in Jamaica. The Foreign Ministers will be attending that.
Interviewer: Are there any other issues that are likely to come
up in te* rms of defence pacts between Australia and the United States?
Mr. Whitlam: No, I think ANZUS is one of the very few defence
pacts in the world which is still current and still regularly
discussed by its members.
Interviewer: No doubt you will be putting forward Australia' s
views on recent events in South East Asia, especially in
Cambodia Mr. Whitlam: Oh yes, but I'll also of course be wanting to
hear the views of the Administration and Congress. 4
Interviewer%. You feel that perhaps the meeting with President Ford
will be able to clear up a number of points in terms
Mr. Whitlam: Obviously it will be useful for me to hear from
the President directly what he feels is the present situation
or likely developments and he may be interested in hearing what
our assessments are. Of course, also I'm meeting the Foreign
Relations Committee -of the U. S. Senate and the International
Relations Committee of the House of Representatives.
Interviewer: On your European trip, you made the point that
middle countries, like Australia, had the right to make their
opinions known to the big powers. Is this a continuation of
that point?
Mr. Whitlam: Yes. Very obviously Australia is as important
as any other country in the Southern Hemisphere and we are
very important in our location, particularly in regard to
South East Asia and the developing world. There are very
many diplomatic and economic matters, where Australia's view,
Australia's attitude is very important.
Interviewer: Are there any differences between Australia and
the United States which you may be attempting to clear up in
your talks with President Ford?
Mr. Whitlam: I don't think there are any questions where there
are any misunderstandings and so on. Very clearly there are
different emphases in Australia itself and also in the United
States herself on a considerable number of diplomatic and resources
matters. It is absurd to think that there is a single United
States view or a single Australian view. It is impossible to
expect this. As you know there are differences in the Australian
Parliament, there are differences in the U. S. Congress and
between the Administration and the Congress. These things, in
our context and in their's, can be discussed in quite a rational'
S and useful manner.
Interviewer: I'm looking forward to accompanying you Sir.
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