PRESS OFFICE TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW WITH RADIO. AUSTRALIA ON
RHODESIA 5 MARCH 1980
Question Prime Minister can I ask you first for your reactLion to the
election result in Zimbabwe?
Prime Minister
Well I am very glad that the processes have gone forth. All the
reports that I have seen from election observ~ ers have indicated
that they believe that the elections have been free and fair.
Obviously there were problems. There has been intimidation.
But you have to have in mind the history of the issue the hatred
and fighting that has gone on for year after year. It is a
remarkable achievement to have come to an agreement and to have
been able to consumate it in this way. As each day passes I
think there can be more confidence -that the future would be
reasonably looked after.
Question Given that conflict that you mentioned, do you think that Mr.
Mugabe can form a government that will be acceptable to everybody
there and that he can hold it together?
Prime Minister
The statements that he has been making seem to me to have been
well and properly directed. He is talking about the need for
national unity, the need to govern for a. llpeople in Zimbabwe,.--
the need to support the constitution, to support the rights of
all people irrespective of race, colour or creed. The reports
that are coming to us do indicate that he is seeking to involve
as many different groups in his government as possible. That has
yet to be seen. But if these objectives can be fulfilled and if
the principles that he has enunciated in a recent speech are
pursued then I would have thought that there is a real possibility
for the new Zimbabwe to go forward with a real degree of certainty
ndsecurity and -with-the-peace which -the' country -just* has not
known for fifteen years.
Question But the initial reaction from -sane-of the whites at least seem~ to be one
of horror. Now do you expect there to be an exodus of whites
from Zimbabwe to South Africa and possibly even to Australia?
Prime Minister
Well no I don't. There has been that reaction. Some of the press
reports over here have referred to it. But the intelligence
coming to me indicates that there are a large number of people
trying to get people to assess the matter as it is. Mr. Mugabe,
himself that he wants people to stay in Zimbabwe and that he
does want to govern for all the people of Zimbabwe black and
white. Therefore I think there are encouraging signs. I think
it would be most unfortunate if we were to assume that because
a certain party has won the vote that there is therefore going to
be a situation which would encourage and persuade a lot of people
to leave Zimbabwe. From what he has said, that is certainly not
Mr. Mugabe's objective. Again I think we need to look at what
has happened over the last six months since the Lusaka Agreement,
Prime Minister ( continued) I
the Lancaster House document, the development of the new constitutior
the development of the transition arrangements, the actual
practice and experience that has occurred during the election
period. Now all of this is slowly, step by step, building up a situation whe. Lthecountry
can return to what we might regard as a degree of normalcygoing
about their business in an ordinary and peaceful way. So
each day that passes gives everyone a greater degree of confidence
that the next day will also be a reasonable one and a sensible one.
I would hope therefore that the alarmist tunes will not be played
and that Mr. Mugabe is able to live by -the standards and
principles -that he announced a day or two ago in a major speech.
Question Are you suggesting though if white Rhodesians find they can't live
under a black government and want out that Australia might not be
too eager to accept them?
Prime Minister
I do not like dealing with hypothetical situations. IL do not like
saying things which could even encourage a situation to arise
which otherwise might not because the white people in Zimbabwe
have built their homes. I have spoken to a large number of white
people when I was in Zambia and Lusaka and that was where their
homes were they wanted to stay there. They said they lived in
a multi racial society. It was a society without tension and
they were at peace and happy in their homes. Now quite plainly
the objective is to see that the same kind of thing develops in
Zimbabwe. It is early days yet and there will be people who w illI
okigOtefuEure v . ery -bl'bsely to ; be what unfolds" to see
the sorts of policies that are pursued. I do not think it helps
for people to jump to the alarmist conclusions when up to this
point. The things that have happened have been reassuring.
Question
At what point would the Australian Government be prepared to extend
rognition to Mr.. NMugabe.' s government?
Prime M~ inister
Well the Government has not considered that at this point. But I[
would be expecting that once formal. power is handed over and the
government is established that that would be the point a formal
process. There would be no question of recognition being withheld.
It would be unthinkable after the processes. So it is a question
of having the right time. I have sent Mr. Mugabe messages today
and you will have heard what was said in the Parliament. He does
need to be congratulated on his resounding electoral win. And
one of the things that we need to have in mind is that processes
for the election were established about 93 per cent of the people
voted. They have been judged free and fair and Mr. Mugabe has
won the election. Now whether people support Mr. Mugabe's personal,
political philosophy or not he has been judged by the people of
Zimbabwe as the person that they want to run the government.
Against that background, if we had the kind of confidence that we
ought in the democratic process, the judgment has certainly got
to be respected and therefore Mr. Mugabe congratulated on what is
plainly a very significant electoral win.
Question Prime M~ inister what's the situation now regarding sanctions and
economic aid to Zimbabwe Rhodesia?
Prime Minister
Sanctions have been off for some time. Claims and suggestions for
economic aid, civil aid will be examined by the Department. You
know most of our aid does go to qoutheast Asia and to the Pacific.
Somo aid has gone to Africa. I have got no doubt there will be
some things in which we will have some involvement in relation. to
Zimbabwe if that is their wish.
Question
Prime Minister, thank you. 000---