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AS DELIVERED
FOR MEDIA FRIDAY' ' 26' FEBRUARY, 1,982
OPENING OF THE DELEGATION OF THE
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
It certainly is a memorable occasion to be here at the opening
of this part icular office. We regard it as an important event
in relations between the European Community and Australia.
I and my colleagues are honoured to participate in it. It is
a landmark in Australian-Community relations, and in one sense
I suppose it has indirectly flown from original discussions with
Roy Jenkins three or four years ago. As I understand it, it is
unusual to have a European Community delegation accredited to
once particular country. We are privileged and delighted that
that is so -with us.
The Australian-Community relationship is important. It affects
millions of people, both in Europe and Australia. There has in
some areas been a rapid growth in the relationship. There was a
European Parliamentary delegation here in M~ arch of last year.
We achieved a nuclear safeguards agreement with Euraton, and that
obviously paved the way for uranium exports. There are now
regular Australian-European Community consultations, and these!
are regarded as very important indeed. Your Presidential visit
here is somiething that we welcome very greatly; the opportunity
for plain and frank discussions, but friendly discussions
nonetheless. That is very much welcomed and we hope that
this is just the first of future visits that will take place.
It is obvioug that we seek to establish better understanding,
wider consultation, and not just in matters that affect Australia
and the Community and in very important but perhaps somewhat
narrower times in the area of trade. We have discussed at
different times the North/ South questions, the question of aid,
and with arrangements that have been set up, the discussions that
the Foreign Minister has been involved in concerning Poland and
Western response to Poland, and in many other matters, these are
all regarded as an important part of a broader relationship.
The countries that make up the Community, and-Australia, have
in many important ways the same objectives; their democracies,
common ideals and the role that individuals should play in
society, we want peace, we want stability, we want to be able to
look after ourselves, and I think we all recognise that if we are
to achieve those objectives there are wider obligations that ' we
all have toD accept. Whether those are obligations in relation to
trade and the way we deal with trading partners, or whether they
are obligations in relation to political matters, for example,
participation of a number of European countries in the Sinai force
together with Australia and New Zealand and the United States, we
are working basically for the same objectives, to enable our own
people to lead out their lives as they would want, and in peace,
It is vastly important for the European Community to be strong,
united and outward-looking. More than once in this century
events in Europe have dragged the whole world into * a world war.
I think within Europe that it is somewhat unlikely that that would
occur again. But if you look around the world, there are events in
the Middle East or Indochina or in other~ places that could involve.
Europe in major difficulties. I do not think it is always
adequately understood in Europe that just as in the past European
events embroiled the whole world, now, events wider afield could
embroil Europe. That is one of the reasons again, why we
welcome this particular permanent mission, this delegation, because
the more attention the Commission, the Community, or individual
European countries can pay to events outside of Europe, the more
secure I think the world will be.
The trade issues between us are obviously vastly important.
The European Community earns about $ 7 billion a year in Australia
and we are delighted that they have an opportunity to earn a
profit. The balance of trade favours the European Community by
about $ 1 billion each year. We would obviously be looking forward
to any opportunity to redress that particular balance. I know
there are two arguments that are put in this context; that if you
have an unfavourable with somebody, they always say, ah, but you
must not deal with these things on a bilateral basis, these
questions are multilateral, and then they will try and point around
to see with whom you have a trade surplus. Say, for example, your
trade surplus with Japan is because of your trade deficit with
Europe. That has not actually been said and it might be a slightly
long bow, but it just instances the nature of the argument.
But I find in many other areas, the. United States for example.
argues that the bilateral trade balance with Japan is something
that is very difficult and should not necessarily be endured
and needs re dressing. So if other countries argue to allow the
bilateral point, I think we ought to be allowed to as occasion
allows. But, I do not want to make this just a trade discussion because
there are matters that we have of mutual concern and mutual
interest. Mr. President, we welcome your presence here very
much indeed and we are very glad that you are here for the opening
of this particular office. You have spoken in constructive ways
about the future relationship. I hope this office enables us
to build upon that. 000
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