hi. AAI'~
FOR iP> SS 11 FEBRUARY 1977
JOT iT CONIUXI QUE. ISSUSO BY THEF PRITKM i;' INITE~ TRS OF AUSTRALIA
ANO PAPUA~ NEW. GUI Nh ON 1 1 FEBRUARY 1977 Ki PROT MO~ RE~ SBYn
At the invitation of th~ e Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea,
tne Rt Hon. S'marc t~ he Rt Eon. Malcolm~ Frasor, accovWQ~ e
ir. ras r pW~ l aa o fficial vis~ it to Paipua Ncw Gu inea
for a perioO of fcour dlays from 7-il Febru~ ry 1977.
Thoj Hint. Andrew: Peaccch, Minister for Forcignr'A ffairs,
also accomlpanlied Mr Fraser throughout thc visit.
M4r FirAser vi sited P02 t Moresby Lae Kwa.' uh, Vanimo, Mount
Iiagno and Pci-u. Mr Fraser exprossed his disnpp~ oi n utnt that
wonthe~ r condit ions ha d prevented his vi siing Mencli as plainne'..
M4r Fr:. scr Accurt2esy calls on His Excellra~ cy the Governor:-
Genr: n:. Sir John Guise, and the Speaker of the National
Pafl 2.22Cft, the Hion. Mr Barry Holloway. liealso had discussions
witii t1w Leader of the Opposition, Sir Tci Abal.
MSr; ae eil-ndc'& a warm \: elcomc~ to Mr Fraser and his party
an the first offJiaci visit to Papua New Guinea of an
AusoIr. 3. i an Priric Mirislor.
T'he . o P-ri'-e M initr exchanjod viesc h oetcstaic
= Ts, r r prsa exprCoS S sup oretc slT Z0io
p n prorcsl pol. di c'cs whitch the Ccovernmont oV
', ninc com1ing to offic in 1972.
, oo ooo Fr*** or's aconnt V. reccnt ec~ onic
an& w cr.-Q. r ; in Australia. He (: 7Kirfs5C(. nai
W: U tanln of th Autnin Go1v...~ ec2c;; s detcrmnato
to ~ teh ' prohlons of unicycon7' t to& c' inflo; ticai.
Drcin0t0My riK Fraser hod' extensl vc and WQ Ct:-rni n
disc'. ssions an 2issues K; inicynatirThai, rqoW21 and hi nte: ao.
conwa: rii to bot countr Lns with Mir Soma~ e tche Hun. Sir Maor~ i
Kk Dcouty, Prim~ e Min . ster Minis ter f or Defe~ nce, and
Minis: t er for Frci 72 Affairs andi7 Trad, trhc EIon. Mr li us
for . ius ice awe other Pa~ pua Now Guinea MiI stors.
14sro re cxp. unLd to Mr Frasur Paoiia ow Gu inea's
unv. unsaliSt fyoeign 7olicy which ch iled f~ r fri cnil\ rCio: on
wit : jj. c ovnizi. s excapt those \. hich ' r~' tise C'socin: 07 rvn: to'
: T Y5l pla pp= w 000 Mc pra o S%] rh
-1.2
the 15 r aIZn Govc' i11;, crit soutilt to don I with in ternat ional~
nr. oh ens, in a reili-1L. c-way and to work, with othcrs in
finin practical. solutions as-they arose. The Prim-e
snt rsno ted the w de -range of comn'moni iterests of their
tvOCo1unt1ri( o s. The': v nrcIne that, While there would be sameL
rfi ec of ehn s or, ccrt:! ~ n aspectp. of f ore i. ' on poliC,
th1i1 S ou 1 d ii t prv. zi c Ir) seccc ion l. h-t: v'cen Australia
niK N~ Cp; u Gu on-lr tern; ti 0nlmtr
~ Vto l i ini s' s 6i scuc amnfIn o! 0( deve lopment s
o 22 z-a~ 1 in1O Ct~ h e WO 1 Ihoy eed Oil the
a~ n~ acot ok. na~ Of the, oaf~ t~ t'h3neC lo0bal
1) 2a il hbocc -1 n t rLe, sencr po'v-; crs, necxp1.; 55UGc tlheir
s tno op p o io n t o rLo c Ya tio of11 n u ccear wca 1) o-, s
01 o Q th i'oinncr: an c c, c u tv the P re. 2Sidan t o f th
LC~ e 0O Cr 0o n. 1a . i1ar.. rmCe& . srec a
hiis deosire to--pi-cceoCI-qic" Kly tcvards a opeaiv
ices-L: ban tr. iyand -to achicev-e further -prog'ress ip. the limitation
ofStrate ic ' rS. :~ Fraseri ' nfore'. MrI: e that Australia
' tvto~ cdto coopcr-; Itc to the fullest extent possible with other
u r-np : ein. ! C ag ecZncries the mocstrinflent anpolication
oLsir on thle e.,. por t o4-: aiur Lina thil-1ho hi-xd e e
wr~ ccnte. t o Prs. L 0o nt the Unlited States about this itter
ThIec t %. 7o Pr-.: n M* m -i sccr agrecl-Cj, 5t thJe, P Icif aind Inlioan
( oaswc-e ver iriT . ortant aree S o1 political and straterc ic
coreorn to both Akusn-a] ia and 1Papun INe' Guinea. Mr Somare
h1 14frn' vv i c, t 1-, ct bot o uce(, an s s houl11d be0 7c: OCs of thle
V ) COc nIc~ lL u l also ; edh5 10 õ C suppor t
f or thec U~ i i. ke" r~ to on o. f th hir Ocea as a
oD tL' IS Co, v~~ v y: v tho
shudbe a blirincc o 0 -o. c between. theo areat powes in
: 1t reCt: OS 20 oC 3 ), it tua n reoC-t Uower S
Lo~ t r M ( 2 to wokclose' Y wit h countries . in
theScuth> eic : oCt J -C0 tAiaete closer-;
' SoC. l-h Plcif' CI. T chO cs~: xof c Suth1 ' East A-ia
Both Pr1i'Me Miis ters e-XPreCds.-' their countries I commitment t o the,
Pacif I. C : Co:-ZndC 1 me -1.1 1r-cd LI-i! i r 1 , tentJ o n to cont inue
t0o Cz C c er a to n S C d tch oS oht
1 C-( I C.-0
hoe: n:: 2 01 ny eCosb~ tic of'S0 Shi C: 1
Cx nnJi ll CeLv en mor e e uC c: ixc arm of the om
a r r: hc An0 t-*.: uxo: 3 10c1 -: teSo
I-* L / 3
F 7 tOPrm ii stres-; e that usrlitand Panuzi
CunaBa03CO2CAIiltOrst inC00Coope ia tion
gL~ 4idthi O covutlICs an) d t he c0U V of" South ia*
Asa. Both prliej5tr 3acknowicdcl rd the imiportance of
souz'h East Asia For tha security of Austraiia and Papua
No ~ D~ 0roc c! la~ th1lc basic objective of thle South
t o\ usn t. n of xc) d~ rg ca poier rivaliyfo
rn0c T u' I hv\ omdt prog-o>; s that ha. d been mrade
il CO) o r i 3n 1) T 1 c I~ e. i. r s of . A. N a n t he se p s
. Oc P h ecu~ ic fi old.
ohxa C 1 F, J! ie;; ont irVCS~ Chv vi sits Lo Indonri!
h' Pr. i n n o' t cd w-i th s a :-1, Ct oe: I t h C. 1 0 S
~ i~ uCi l: ev~ b j. 1a l ' C 10S bCLf~ l h i COUlitylC ai
' L c~ r Cowei n c. l oir
11 Lw o0 i r~ c 1 scCV a OS ti CItJ. f11 gn imporI'tanIce
or t ho Com----:) an1. ealt h l Nio, T y i trioii
Gofnrimont M. t. ngw JdPrc,, x a aibcopr~ nv1:
7Cc S1Ps i C Onl of n> ltw~ Oi. H. The Primeo
Mhi t erYs N: J, e ( I : l7rOYV2C t isuc SUiSlkely to be
rs~ eidi t hc ircc' ( 7 ani noeTth afi fths ersr;, in
MS a r ~ C v: C, CCCm U: rOC's intct. I on to conduct furthcr-,
cc",: y1. t a ic s o n th c~ Ma t4t-+ o SCr vC t Co . n: alth e -r
inl t " Ie Pa Cific . C ' i two: c Prire N-* n is tcrs iiorzcd recent devo [ opmcnt S
i n A Erica. Those dd. ; cculI early be an imr-cortant tom) ic for
d; c -ssio,*, at thec-o. one aIt h H ca ds of1 Government ' Meeting.
' Th C': 0 P Mr iis. o ex oS0L 5C Ccc0e-ni + C i2 d r c 7ct o) vecr
S'. i JLt h' s i acwn o ch Ios rp -~ asL'ni r
o, Ialt L ~ ro U i,, c p~ C C L t, r ifns t4A Ict o ma o r iIy rul c n
' 7 y ;-cr pAta a -ust and 4cjuita1l
S t C T L1-1 jrS'I*
1) C s 0: Aw Le: n. sScO p CFC C t 1C 3 opnosit ion zo tho_
II S. e. 0bc h e v
Oj' L a) tSc -7 L'ClaO n ,,
L 1-21 I3C i Z l" Ti i-J. 5 -cC' if" t, Cran t o c . O'Cn riC S Y. I"+
it S*, ho u i ( Iave t le s i. 1puO r-oP all na t ion s
Yc 0 v C, -1kC. W-c ncVIO: U: tSS?
of eCir: twos oCu~ w res-3 t Fd0 i eaho" in hcQ erU p sIt
7 j. .1
rmVa sF C t OC L s a nC( IC ~ or n r c a intr 1. 2
tCp o : i St CV o 6n c C, V O S .11
t. 0 se-1 J
4.
-Co,, IiOnwcalth~ flcads of Goverlnent. Mccting9
In respect of the Integratod Qomu~ odity. Programme it so * t out
in UNCTAD Rcsolutioni 93 the two Prime Ministers
agreed that decisions on particular'aspccts of the programme
cou. only be made in the light of necelsary studies an~ d
detaiae c xaminationa. Both' ( overnrnrtts were prepared lo
p. irticipat' in such studies and examinations. The two
Primec"' i1n~ sters weclcomed Papua New Guinea's forthcoming
acces~ ion to the Lome Convention as a demonstration of'
practical cooperation between developed and developing, countries.
The two Prime Mini'pSters -ffirmed that their respective
countrieS, as active participants, were fully committed to working
for a successful outcome of the United Nations Law of thc Sea
ConFe-rence. They agreed that the Confcrence, having made loss
progress thar. had been hoped during 1970, deserved a
determined effort to reach a conclusion, from all participants
at its ne.: t session in May.* They noted that both count~ ries
shared Tiany common aims in the development of this important field
of int erntaional law, and expressed confidence that those
delo ments would provide new opportunities for regional and
bil]: It07al coop -rat ion.
Bil~ itcral Matters
The tw. o Prime . insterresv iewed the broad range of bilateral
relations between Papua New Guinea arid Australia. They were
oleased to note tlIe progress made-in nc-otiating arrangements
on a number of iriportar't bilateral matters since thei r
discussion in March, 1976..
T'he t,. wo Prime Minigters noted with considerable satisfaction
th: c: . n r no-. c1c Fc-bruar:.' this year of the Papua
Ne G~ s t a .1 a7T r; c C a d ia I R e-a tions Ag--c-iment.
The) r ie cNMnii stocrs refli-med thcir coi-i.. mitent throug-h the
a( T'reC'. e1'.! n t to the,( T-Lainjtcnj* ncC of subastantial freedom of trade
0ew t heI1 t 1.1Io. u ti1-C" to the% f urther Cde-velopment ofc
a mutta b a t al tra diJn-relationship.
Thc t;. o Pri-;' Yinisters expressedl pluasure that the two
Govcrnrnnt, h~ ad reached2 agc-eeet on air services between
AuISt-rilia anid iPama New Guinea, w-, hich accorded Papua w
Gi"_' s r. ati onal fla,-carrier, Air Niugini, traffic rights
to and from Sydney, Cairns and BrI,.: xine. The Australian
caIerc-, Qantas nad been gyranated *-ights to and from Port
Moresby and one other centcre in Pa--.-ua New Guinea to be no-minated
' rheo Pr : 7 > Iini sters noted that the new aid arrange-nents
in C. u'r4 ~ iveI -co iz ayrece, at their
~ i~ rch 1~ ad bcen ' introduced with effcct froma
1 JLuI > They agreed to keeca in close touch on the
rr t r e tat ion of these arrangements which had pro-re s c d
/ S
1*' Jo
A
Mr Somare reaffirl-nod that the untied grant aid Provided
b-tle Aistralian Government was much appreciated by his
~ Governm~ ej't. H4 stressed tha , t it was the most -suitablc
form of aid because it permitt a. Papua. New Guinea-' to plan~ and
imnplemenft its own-development piorities,
Thie two Prime Ministers noted that Papua New Guinea-would
change-to a calendiar fiscal year from 1 January 1978.
They a~ greed that officials should meet early in the second
ha of 1977. to discuss the leve'l of supplementation, above
th aicmnrn~ fAl80 million already agreed upon, in the
t hi-rd year of the iñ ve-year period.
MrSomare expresse; d hiis appreciation of thc reserves standby
facility providedO ior Paptia New Guine: a by the Australian
Reserve s1ank It~ A: pril 1976. He -requested that this
facility continiue to be mnade available beyond the currently
agreed date of termn." nation, 31 Dccub-er 1977, to correspond
with the term ofz the present aid agreement. Mr Fraser took
note of this req-ucst.
The two Prime Min~ sters recalled their agreement in March, 1976
that it was importa., nt to reach an equitable and permanent
settlement on all issues relating to Torres Strait. They noted
that their tvwo Foreign Ministers, acting with Cabinet
authority, had acccrdlingly entered into negotiations in
May 1976. . The Foreign Ministlers announced in June that they
had reached agree-ment on a number of points basic to a
settlement. In subsequent months, much further progress had
been madec, notably, provisional. agreement had been reached
on the location oiF a seabed bounda-ry running some 1,200 ini: les
from the Arafura Sea, through the Torres Strait and out th-rough
the Coyzl Sea.
The two Prime Mn. sesalso notec! that, despite the considerable
j'oges~ alrady c~; eveI, here were som7-e ises on which
agreemenit had not been-r reached. T1he two Prim,, e Ministers
and their iisrilcollcea. gues said tha-L their two Gover-Iments
werde1o1t : nc1 CCrioacdf dnt that -hese issues could and aou-d
be reso> Tekrd throu a continued procoss of bilateral
necotiations. ' I ie y also a:-rced tain the imeantirme, these
materswoud 1nut be allowe,, d to aff'ect the close and warm
relatiors existingc, between their two countries.
Mr Somare expl ained that, in view of the need for Papua Now
Guinea, as an independent country, to adopt its own limits of
national. sea and seabed Jurisdiction, his Govern-ment had
consideredi zkt necessary to secure the passage through Parliament
of cnablin~ g " n~ o'. seas" lcilto. His Government
felt sr rnvin impler.-inting this Lgilation with a
vie-, to no:!: ions with third countries on jurisdiction and
There is ,.,-. standing between the two Governments that,
notwt~ c~~-i he passage in thec ? anua-Ncw Guinea-
Pran ; W ~ t~ cnitional scas legislation, no action o r
1 aio r rcc o Torcros S trait
11e Z; n1e or rMek2Cto1n0to, that leisiation pena~ ino a
opportiiity fo-r progre ss through Eurthe'r negotiations.
-c 6.
Th i c Prime ," In isters said. that thcir two Govcrnmnents
woiilsd ithrto approach, the. fu-rthcr negol iatioso
TorreS Strait ' in-a spi'rit of amity and cooperation.
\, ithcr Government would be-assuminag. positions of rigidit~ y. pr-r.
jnifjcxibilitv. The two Prime Ministers agreed that mere,
work would need to be done by* officials. on complex and
d1clicato issues ipvolvce ' and that, accordingly; they, dlid not
uwish tou se t a t ine Ilimi..: for the * co-laplction. of the* negotiations.
The t4wo Prime Ministers noted with satisfaction that,
folo. n ineni, and 6ctailled negotiations between their
DefcnLl'e Ministers Government had in Janua-ry 197' 7,.
entered into a Status of Forces Agreement which made proUCr
) egal prov s ion 1, inac; ca1 im~ y uen tioa
practice, for the status of service personnel fromn eitherC
country when ijresentI in the other. Their Governments hadl
alcso cluedarrangemc-, ent*_ s covering subsidiary matters
including the provision of supply support to the
Papua Nciw Guinea De; . artment of Defence by the Australian
Department of Defence.
The Primire Ministers said that they and their Ministerial
coleazgues had ale given the most ca-ref-ul consieration
broad n-ature of the future defence relationship between
Australia and Panua New Guinea. Full agreement had now
boen -reached between them ' on + this most iimportant matter,
ede Li: ls would be announced in* a separate joint statement
wa~ i also being issued today, 11 February 1977. to the
wh ic h
The two Prime ?. Ministers reaff'Lirmedl the glreat importance which
they and their GovOrnnerc's attached to the relationship between
thielr tw.. o countries, noting-that extended well beyond
GovcrLn ;~ e mtt into a wide varie-ty of fields and
pcronal contacts. They said that they place%-" great value on
the~ w. yve-cn?. r-osi hic h hacl develoncd betw,. een them
and wc.. w 1 a Ceo t: c th e0 u: 1> Zr dcve o0I 1n ellt orI : r C2_ X LS~ z
close_ ZII: J harmon-Ious udstn. g twonthi-* r two cot. ntries.
They ancl th eir Miitral Colleuc undeortook to maintain
directc co: Ila, -on-on all matters of importance
to theU rel , tions'. p
JM. r Fraser tha-nked Yr Somoire for the warm and friendly iWarlcome
whL-ich h:. d bee--n extened to him, to his wife and to al-icrbers
of hi~ s pz-rty, both in Port, Voresby and in the provincial centreS
they had -visited. He as!, ' d Mr Somarc to convey his personal
thanks tc all those who had been involved in the visit
arrn~ eens ad ho had made his visit such a pleasant and
interesti! ne