iiMBA-G0( 74: 001
L K j7 U> 92)
FOR MI) IA 2 MAY 1979
JOINT STATIEMENT ON THE VISIT TO AUSTRALIA BY IllS EXCELLENCY
CIIOI KYU HAI, PRIME MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Iis Excellency Choi. Kyu Hah, Prime ., Minister of the Iepublic
of Korcea, visited Australia from 29 April to 3 May 1979 at
the . invitation of the Austra[ ian Government. The Pr: i. mc Minister
was accompanied by lis Excellency Chang Yie Joon, Minister for
Energy and Rcsourccs, and a number of senior officials of
the Republic of Korea Government.
The Korean Prime Minister paid a courtesy call on His Excel ] ency
the Governor General, Sir Zelman Cowen, and laid a wreavb in
memory of Atstral ian war dead at the Australian War Memorial,
Canberra. lIe al.. so visited Sydney and Melbourne.
The Korean Prime Minister held discussions with the Austral. ian
Prime Minister, the Rt. lIon. Malcolm Fraser, and a number o;
senior Cabinet Ministers on a wide range of issues. These talks
took place in a most cordial and friendly atmosphere and
inc. I ided a frank exchange of views on the international situ;, tion,
with particular reference to recent developments in the
Asia/' aci fic region. ' The Korean Prime Minister outlined the
current situation in the Korean peninsula including his
Government's recent attempts to bring about a resumption of
the dialogue between the south and north of Korea. The
Australi an Prime Min: i. ster endorsed the importance of such attempts
to reduce tension on the Korean peninsula.
The two Prime Ministers referred with satisfaction to the
continuing growth in bilateral relations in general in recent
years, and to the strengthen: i. ng of ecopomic cooperation and.
trade links between the two countries. They exchanged view:; on
prospects for furtibe r deve. lopment of these relations and ejpl'a: i.'; scd the
imporLance o: f stable conditions of access for, and re: Liab. l. e
supply of, industrial raw materials, energy resources
and agricultural products. They acknowledged the importance
a. ta; Ve by each country to greater opportunities for its pyoducts
in VO thor's marrzct. They also acnowledgod the necessity
of expanding cu]. lural relations, including exchanges in
the educational field. ./ 2
Dur . ing the Koreani 1Pr imeO Minister' s vi s it the Nucl ear
Cooperation and Safeguards \ groomcnt between Australia and
the Republ ic of Korea was signed by the Austral ian, Deputy
Prime Mini ster and Mini ster for Trade and Resources,
the Rt. Hon. 3 D. Anthony and the Korean Ambassador,
Hi. 1s Exte1 lency Mr. Lee Haa Lim.
Both Prime Ministers expressed their belief that
Prime Minister Choi ' s vit, the first to Austral ia by a
Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, had contribu ted
signi ficantly to the promotion of the fri endly and
cooperative relationship between the two countries. The
Korean Prime Minister reaffirmed to the Australian Prime
Minister the cordial invitation of his Government to visit
the Republic of Korea at an early date. In response
Mr. Fraser said that he warm: ly welcomed this invitation which
he looked forward to taking up at a mutually agreeable time
The Korean Prime Minister expressed his sincere appreciation
to the Government and people of Aus tralia for the warm
hospi taility extended to him and his party during their visit.
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