PM Transcripts

TRANSCRIPT PRESS CONFERENCE 25 FEBRUARY 1986
Melbourne Cricket Ground
E 0 E PROOF ONLY
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister the situation in the Philippines
is very much in our affairs right now. what do you think
President Marcos should do?
PM: I believe he should stand-down. All the evidence shows
that the election was fraudulent and the only guarantee that
you can have now, I think, that you're not going to have a
situation of the country being plunged into chaos and bloodshed
is that he should stand-down.
JOURNALIST: What's the Australian Government's greatest
fear? The care of the people there, or a strategic thing?
PM: No the people. I mean it's a country of considerable
natural richness and wealth and I believe that what is
required there, as far as the welfare of the people of
the Philippines is concerned, is a government that's going
to concentrate upon trying to ensure economic and social
development. That hasn't been happening and that is a
major consideration. Of course security situations do
come into it, but it is not, as far as I'm concerned, the
prime consideration. Nor do I believe it's the prime
consideration of the United States administration. I
think the Secretary of State, George Schultz, said very
eloquently recently, democracy comes before bases.
JOURNALIST: And there's one last point. If Mr Marcos
doesn't heed the advice of the Americans, or the Australians,
or other people around the world what can you forsee
happening there?
PM: If he doesn't stand down you can s ee nothing, as I
say, but chaos and bloodshed and I would think that* Marcos
should understand that after 20 years, if I can say it in
this environment, he's had his innings, time to retire.
ends