FOR MEDIA THURSDAY, 18 SEPTEMBER, 1980
STATEMENT TO THE HOUSE
ON MULTI-NATIONAL EXERCISES
I informed the House on 19 February, 1980, when I outlined
the Government's response to the-Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan,
that we intended discussing with our regional friends the
further development of our defence relations with them.
Amongst the specific measures that I mentioned then were
combined exercises between the Australian defence force and
Forces of our South East Asian neighbours.,
The resilience of independent regional countries is an
important element in contributing to regional stability, and
the abiding security interests we have in common with our
neighbours call for continuing consultation and co-operation
in the defence field. The Government regards such co-operation
as a long-term measure of major importance.
I am pleased to be able to inform Honourable Members that I
took the opportunity during the recent Commonwealth Heads of
Government Regional Meeting in New Delhi to hold further
consultations on defence matters with the Prime Minister of
Malaysia, Datuk Hussein Onn, and the Prime Minister of Singapore,
Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. We all agreed that all three countries would
gain much from the conduct by our respective defence forces
of multinational exercises. It was agreed that we should
initially look to conducting these under the auspices of the
five power arrangements.
Since returning from New Delhi, I have consulted with my British
and New Zealan d colleagues. They have indicated that they endorse
what is proposed. There * is therefore now agreement in principle
between all parties of the five power arrangements..
Honourable Members may be aware that the last major exercise
involving all participants in the five power arrangements,
including both ground-and air forces, took place in 1970.
Air defence exercises are regularly held in the Malaysia and_
Singapore area and there are frequent bilateral exercises
involving ground forces of the various participants. For example,
today there are Singapore soldiers in Townsville preparing
to take part in an exercise with Australian troops. / 2
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An infantry company of the. Malaysian Army took part in a
similar exercise in Australia in May-June last year. Now that
we are all agreed that exercises having a more distinctive
multinational character should be re-instituted, we shall be
taking early action towards this end. I have given instructions
that Australia should move with full vigour to help put the
agreement into practical effect.
Singapore recently requested that the Singapore Armed Forces
be permitted to carry out their own training exercises in
agreed training areas in Australia. A small country, Singapore
faces exceptional difficulties in finding adequate training,
space for its armed forces on its own territory. The Singapore
request is for facilities to enable them to exercise their
commanders and units of their ground forces. Some naval training
and air crew training is also envisaged.
Included in the last-named is a request to deploy and maintain
at Nowra Naval Air Station a small number of Skyhawk aircraft
to facilitate advanced pilot training. We have been pleased
to agree to Singapore forces conducting training exercises in
Australia and have also agreed to their specific request to
deploy Skyhawk aircraft to Nowra. All this has been discussed
with Malaysia as a member of the five power defence arrangments.
I have already emphasised Australia's abiding interest in the
security of the area to our north. The Government is prepared
to give sympathetic consideration to meeting the special needs
of other regional countries. Indeed, I made this clear during
my discussions in New Delhi. We are exploring with the
Malaysian and Singapore Governments arrangements for high-level
talks on a broad range of matters in the defence field
including those I have already referred to.
I have indicated to Prime Minister Hussein Onn and to
Prime Minister Lee our readiness to have the Secretaries of the
Departments of Defence and Foreign Affairs and the Chief of
the Defence Force Staff visit Kuala Lumpur and Singapore for
such discussions at an early date.
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