APR. 18 ' 86 17: 50 AUSTRALIA~ N DIPLOMATIC NETWORK
IPRIME MINISTER
E. O. E. F ~ OF ONLY
NEWb C. ONERENLE WITH
AUSflkALIIAN PRIME MINISTER ROBERT HAWKE
6100 P. M. EST
rrHURSDAYP APRIL 1.71 1986
LlA6HINCGTONs D. C.
PRIME MINISTER HAWKEt Ladies and sntlemen3 I will m~ ake really
a very brief, btatemeint~ l and then be available for any ' quest ions that
you would want to address to me.
I went to say thmit our visit to Washington? 1 believe) keg been
in achlevirs the primary objective of that visit; which
has bean to put befor the President) the administration and the
Congress the concerns jof Australia with regard to developments in
international trade Ir agricultural products. I've sought to convey
in t?% ose quarters the fact of the importance to Australia of what
happens in this aree. 1 have indicated thet Australia is heavily
dependent on whallt happenS in international trade and Agriculture.
Some 40 percent of our export income is derived in that area. We
export 60 percenit Of Our agricultural production.
And my mission kilos basically been in two parts, firstlyi to
seek from the admini strat ion, and others to whom I've spoken an
assurance of sympethe&--Ic consideration a+ Australia's interests; 1 tie
implementation ot relieant aspects 0+ the + arn legislation in this
country. I've pointed Out that It would be improper it Australia, an
elficiant igr'culturat producer, which is a non-subsidi2or of
exports, should be adversely affected by tke implementation of
programs in this coun~ ry; and secondly, and in a lonser term sense
more importantlyp I h va urged upon the President and others to wh~ om
I've spoken) the need i or the United States to take the lead in
ensuring that the question o4 international trade in agricutural
goods should be put at tine foreiront of the agenda% of the relevamt
international fore in forth-coming months.
I've asked firstly that at the Tokyo summit that the President
should % at that this matter is on the agenda; but most importantlys
that as the now MTN r9und begins later this year, that the, United
States should seek to ensure that the question of international trade
In agricultural Produ~ ts is on the agenda; it is not some side issue;
it is one of tundamental importance. I've assured the President that
it the United States takes that lead that Austral ia will be standing
shoulder-to-shoulder wilth them in svpporting that Position..
I. P. 14
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Ican say that I have received a very sympathetic consideration
to0 theae submissionj tl % t I h'" avt put at all love;* at which I have
) gad the opportunity o 11 speaking. I will again express my gratitude
to 0the administrations and also my thanks to our embassy h and the
ambassador for the sx ulient prog3ram that has been' arranged which
has enabled wso I think, 4advance the interests of Australia.
Ot course) we have spoken about otheor matters. But that has
been thet prime Purpo5s o'T my visits andi L believe
it has been successful. Now I am open to questions.
Q Mr. HawkvblIcani we take a looI ahot thheassuranie5 mean to
the average termer in Australia? 7 It we take wheat, which is anea
our main con~ cerns; the m~ rket price CoU~. B down to S. 0&
whwat, which means a $ 0 Percent drop in the price ot wheat to the
Australian firmer. News I guest he's not going to be too happy about
that, o thgr II it no aSSurance there. The other side of the
tiino -1 tkatw I suppoSe the U. S. tarsetS the EEC i the EEC i S go Ing to
move into ALJstral Iar markets. So i+ the United States don't got wss
the& EEC willI So whoro are the assurance* from the Australiani
farmers point of view' 4
PRIME MINISIEI% HAWKE, Well, obviously# thmrs has already been
an impact as for as price is concerned in the perilad in which you
could have said that the export enhanceme0nt Program might have had
some impact. There his beam a 15 percomtsea $ 20 a ton
decline in wheat prices but we acknowledge that that has already
occurred. What we art' trying to do is to seek to ensure that the
criteria that have bein rkteULd Ito last year 4& being operative
sh~ ould continue to aI.~ Ftlthat as far as possible the
operation of the Progrjam can be targeted away from Australian markets
and secondly) that Wh~ ra the program Is applied that the United
States should seek to got assurances trom those acquiring wheat from
the United States under that Prog3ram) an undertaking that they would
not diminish their purchases from Austraiia. Now we are realistic
enough to know that ycqu can't have an absolute dividing line which
says that here on 0hij side there is going to be markets in which
there are no Australi'an interests. In the other ones in which there
are. There will be aldesire of overlapping. All I can say is that I
and those with me beloeve that we have now established a framework
for continuing consultation in which thoe United States will continue
to listen to what we've got to say and attempt to take into account
Cur interests. Q Prime Minitert do the 8assraondes Siven to you an
agriculture go any lurther than the assurances given to trade
mmii* ter John Dawk inrs when he was here in Washington.
PRIME MIN19TER HAWKE: TU. bu ilId upon them and I hers take the
opportunity ot doing what I did before I left Australia and that Is
b
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~ 3
to Pay tribute to the lark that was done by John Dawk ins. W~ e now
have a more eixtensiveijit YOU Ilk*, Penetration at the point of view
of Austrliap right up to the level of the
President. I ' we had the opportunity at speaking notmeroly with the
administration oat+ icialls but also with & IlI the relevant leaders an
the Haill. So, what I '. vs dome is~ bul Id upon thne work done by th
Trade Minister and I bel ieve add tolitin an uffective way. I roo* atp
pay tr ibute to the foundat ioni work that was done by HI M.
Q On the question of Libyaj will the initiative in the
United Natis% be turned I nto a f ormal1 roe1lwtion'? Have you had any
i nd icatI Oo 4T'om t'ie Un Ited States or from Libya itsoif?
PRIME MINISTER HAWJKE, The question ot what will be done with 4
contribution at the Australian delegate Is still a matter of
d iscussionm by Mr iWco tt All that I Ivc. had conveyed to me at th is
stage i s that the--I 6riderstand ' that the Secretary GeneralI and the
Pres ident a+ the Caumi i I have expressed a Pazsit ive Ott itude towards
the broad suvivestionsithat we have made. 1 can't say that there's
been a positive response from Libya) who 1 understand took the f loor
yesterday to critlcite the Australian intervention. 0Of course) as
far as the United States Is concerned) as I saldi the inidicatiom of
Article 51 of t0, v Chat~ ter of the U. nited Nations) Its@ 14 Carries with
i t the i mpIi cat ions o4 chapter 6.
And i t i s my beI & 1 from the d iscus i ons that I Ive had P and
those d iscussaons that I I e had here i n the Un ited States m irrorr
eccur atelIy and compI ivtIlY what I ' ve % a id i n the Austraimi an parlIi ment
and what has been 3Jaid on behaj a+ the Australian government in the
United Nations, I be: 9i eve tholTUn i ted Statesb s a i t shoulId iag i celIjy
fromh its own indication~ of Article 51), would see vi-turu in a
in the Australian Farliment and at the representativ~ e of Awstralia
so idc inm the Secur ity Eaunc i I th~ e essenti alI cono -t on at beinms able
to utilize those prOCteSSe~ invtVaeacceptancv on the part of Libya
that I w ill givea comlni tmenmt and adher e tzi suclh a : amm itment not
to resort to the tactics and the process of terror ism. There was a
question here first off.
Q I asked if you were hoping or expect ing more + ram the
talks conicerning trada.
PR~ IME MINISTER HAWKE, Not I think the outcome broadly matches
our expectations, Beather. What we've reallI y had to do is to be
certain in our minds ithat we have created the framework now fori
tirst of-all, a very clear understanding of the nature ot
AuStralia'S actual and potential vulnerability in the implementation
of the farm programi. I think, as I say building an Mr. Dawkins'
Visit.) I have done that,
PPR. 18 ' 86 17: 54 AUSTRALIAN DIPLOMATIC NETWORK P. 17
Secondly, and look ine to tht tuturO, which is the mast Important
consideration, I've trjied to create a better international framework.
am cartoon that Ino -Nave the wholehearted cooperation of the
Uniteadt s am nstation in giving essiential priority in the
mew MTN round to agriculJtu~ ral matters. I could not Have expected a
more enthusiastic response from all to wham I spoke on the basic
necessity of having thlat up at-t-h forefront. Wie can'tj as an
international trading community'Tatford the luxury of previous
roundst where agricult, kre Has been regarded as a side lauoi shuttled
at+ into Salle oix no~. j J and allowing people to talk about it as
a sidesHow. it's cenitrally important. I think we've achieved that
Q Canada hens imiltar concerns about the export enhancement
program. I'm wonderirl it there's any way that Australia and Canada
might join torces it, expressingo or putting pressurat Porhsal on
the adm in istrati on?
PRIME MINISTER H-1KEt Well) I had cause last year to Haye
scme diocussions with ' th-e Conadians whom I was there very bristly:
and we have mutual con~ cern for what Happens Here. We certainly Have
a mutual concern as to the operations a+ the European program because
that affected us in Cjnada witk regard to our Potential beef sales
there. So I think th re is a substantially common position between
us. I would expectp from the background to which 1 refer and which
I've been involved ari which Me. Dawkins has boom inivolved in
discussions with His 9ounterparti that we would not only Have common
ground in regard to the position here; so most importantlyi I tHink
common ground In the soarts of positions we would take in the MTN
nescotiations, which commences in September at this year.
0 Will there be future talks with Canada?
PRIME MINISTER H WKE' We Save a framework of relationships
there which involve Cpntimw. itne consultations. Imean it hasn't been
formal ized in a procesl of every six mcnths. But the relationship
between us at the leviql of prime minister to prime minister and trade
minister to trade minister is a very productive omes I believe.
0 President Reagan used some interesting emphasis In his
statements earlier about ANZUS. I wonder if he has given you any
indication at what he plans to do nexto or how the talks are going
New Zealand? Just hoi T angry is he with Now Zealand'?
PRIME MINISTER HAWKE: I thiink to be fair) not only to the
Presidento but to the wh-ole of the United States administration
that's been involved in thiss
APR. 18 ' 86 17: 58 AUSTRALIAN DIPLOMA~ TIC NETWORK P. 01
0,9 react Ion woulld not be teir lY tYPit 10d as One Of anger. 1
say that not because I'mi here In the capital P but I have been
involved in discussicr1 son this tcir a long period. I think the
appr or iate do er 1pt Iofn Is one aof sever 0 dIsapoo int mont, I don't
th ink gr, tie ev idance , ct t ime that anyone coulId siggest tl,% re ' s
certainly. no evidence to supporti'that the Unitoo States has imposed
great Pressuro ujpon New Zealand and pressed tor a differnnt
resolution. Timi discussion have been Spread out ever a long period
of timne and there has bviciusiy been I beitevaea sincare wis) e On
the part 0+ the United 6tates' administration to secure a clhange of
view on the part of Niw Zealand,
Nowp I thinik time is running out in terms of Now Zealand's own
timetable. As far as we can understandii Now Zosiand wOiA A iM
to leg islIat 1on by the per Iod of August'j Septemberi Octoberii 1+ tW
latest. Now the p09ei in that we hove 1 that no roeIlut ion by
way of discussion can be arrived at, and Now 2ieaiand embodies into
legiation the position Which it's been espousing) tin I have
repeated again today to tee President what we have said Privately and
Publicly before, and that to these tiings: Firstly, and most
importantly# that we ' would mot wish the United States to take action
to abrogate the treaty. We. believe thei treaty ssould be left In
pisto. that in tmat event there would be an interchange 0f
letters between the President and myself, the Puroose of which would
at to establish by that correspondence the intention on tihe part o+
the United States and Now Zealand to continue in cperations as
between ourselvess tl~ at is tl e United States anid Australia, the
provisions of the triaty. And that would lead to the position then,
thirdlyj that it at somein luturr stage New Zealand~ ;. ishedl to come back
into the operstionofthe treaty', that would be thnere. lt5houaj add, I
think in fairnesis both to Australia and to the Un. ited S of
relevance to Now Zealaria, ti', at in all points in tne discussion we
have made it clear ario the United States 6as accepted it as
reasonable and sensible; that in the event of that situation
emergings we) Australia, would maintain a bilateral defense
cooperative rolaticn " eip with New Zealand. 1hat is in our initereot
in the region, anid in that sense in the interest of tie United States
as well. Did the Pconcur with your suggestion?
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6.
Pm': Yes there is acceptance as I seeiat of that position,
JOURNALIST,. Couli you be a little more specific about the feedback from
Americans you hava~ spoken to about the Australian proposal In th. UN
and would you cairs to covinent on acute Caucus reaction that I think has come in the
losr 24 hours. to your statement on Libya?
PRIME MINISTER HAW.. KE: Lot me take the secornd part t Irst. I've
found it a senuible rule in my intrequent overseas visits to note trom
abroad comment upon what 1 happeninmg I m AustralI Ia. There Is a very
simp Ie wellI one of. the reasons P 19 ot the excI usi1ve reason)
yaw are mot always certain that you know Precisely what boom said
and the circumotances , of it being saido so I am not going to break
that rwle which I've iound a useful anid sensible one to + or.
coming to the first part of the Qu. est ion. I repeat what
1 said before that the discussions theat 11ve had with the
administration) privately, reflect what we've said publicly, andI
would not think it appropriate to say that the United States was
saying that the concePit that we out about the position of the United
Nations were ones that they were putting. Nevertheless, it is my
impression clearly that they do not regard the United States does
not regard the proposals that we have put as inconsistent with the
position thnat they've, adopted, And I kave no reason at all to
believe that thu United States would not welcome a position whore the
avenues nominated within Clhaptsr 61 particularly article 33 of the
chartirs could be used. If in fact any, one of those avenues could
lead to a positioni where this situation could be peacefully resolved
and certainly the United States would welcome % hats as wouldi all
reasonable People.
0 Prime Min'istar, do You bAiive the American r a id on L Ibye
justlfieds in l~ sht of+ the terrorsm')
PRIME MIJN15TER HAWKE, I've been around tis Some for a very)
very long timeh and I am not going to be led into a position of
satisfying or attempting to satisfy someone else's use of language. 1
have the capacity te~ put quite clearly my position and the position
of my government. I've done that In three ways. Before I left
Austral ia) just some hours5 before I left., in a statement to
the Parliament. I've done It through our representative In th, 1
United Nations and I've done It In private conversation with the
United States administration In a way which completely reflect* what
I have said Publicly. Now yoirSvarlous interpretations of that
position. For instance) the representative of Libya saw fit to
attack the statement by the representative at Australia. On the
other hend, the leader of the oppositions at least that's what he was
when I was there I don't know whether there has
been any change in the past Couple ot days but he attacked the
statement that I made. So you have difterent perspectives seeking to
put a particular interpretation. Now people can put the
interpretation that they will. Those worcis are clear. They were
clear In the Parliaiiiient)
AiPR. 18 ' t6 01 AUSTPAL. LqN pLr1TCNTOKP. 03
clear in the United Nat Ionse And that is that we Have $ aid that we
regret that th19 cirlcumstances have arisen where torte has been wood.
We have said that thee9ssential condition far bringin'g this position
to an and Is that Libylae has got to bring to an ernd its direction
and export 04 and can~ ra I of terrori 1sm, and i n tHose r. I rcw. Matences,
at course, which we hope could be advanced by the processes that we
put, there would by am elimination of torts in all respects.
Now we could havo, it we'd wanted to) in the United Nations, 411111111
what appeared to oithers to be all that WOO necessary to exhaust their
responsibility tha isj to get up GAattack and cast aspersions.
We Have the percepti'on of our respons ibilIity whicih goe$ beyond
that, and that is to look to thne jutur* and too what possible
mea~ ures may be available to bring an end to a situation WhIch is not
only tragic for those who may be immediately involved; but which
potentially could constitute a danger for the rest o4 the world.
Now with a sense of responsibilIity, we Have made such
suggesticin%. Now th-ai's the respornuibia way to undertake both-your
analysis and your memb~ ership of tHe Security Council. And I'm not
going to be diverted 4rom the exercise of that responsibili ty by some
cheap arid I don't Pefer that to you and your question but lome
cheap attempt to say) "' Do you describe that by thls word or that
word?" We depend upon a full analysis of what w& giI said in the
parI Iament what & WX'I sa id Inm the United Nat Ions P wh ich as I say. hase
been reflected completely in the discussions I've Had Here in the
United States. 0 On the matter of agr I u Iture, t 1 $" t%& nt900"
b-Jloaicl: against the concepts of subsidization,
Everybody's concerned. abo j. Hat's happening in the EEC and the huge
subsii I ~ even thoush thV'f'oin rate May come downri, 2.40 4e(% aft / QJ4
111.36S, di+ irence between the ) man rate and the target rate.
There's still a massive subsid~ going to the United States farmer
: 1 Pr3 ai. I 0% Cg eloan rate comes down so taro
Australian farmer% are Hurt to thi stage where : t ' s uneconomical for
them to produce) What's Your attitw4 oar h subsidlesi either
direct or indirecti 5uch, as through% t4. Sanspart mr groin-handlins O, 1AWiAM. WS
or perheps even some 4cirm C34 acreage restriction?
PRIME MINISTER H' 4WKE: As a concept in Australia) you mean?
" A1Just go firstly to our perception of what happens herep and then come
back to what our reaction should be. We've made it quite clear that
we object % o tk& concept Of subsidization in the larser producing
areas of the European Community and here, 111 far as the United States
is concernedi as to vloat part of their programs whlch% are directed
toward some + arm of rietal-latlai agaimst the European Communitys we
say we. can understand; that sort of reaction. But what's
Zz. ANI
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tundameritally imPOrtart is that the United States and tlhe Community
h4ave got to underst nda that there must be an emu to this concept of
subsidy agaimst subsiiy-taxpayer against taxpayer. In the ends by
dlefinition, that is djisastrous, for the Communities involved and the
rest of us % hA& rL in the international t-adimg regimes. And sai we are
saying to theOAUnited fitates as we will be saying when we go to
Brussels that there's got to be a total re-think of the way in Which
governmonts relate thelmselves to their agricultwral Sectors.
Now) coming back to the second part of your questioni we Have
before we came here) ) ust before we came Here, in fact a matter of
an hour or so before elofts had the situation where my minister
for primary indwStr-yiMp. Kerins produced in the parliment two
things, one very largo Sbo. t* Aof equivalent to a whito paper it yaw
like. And secondly a parlimontary statement encapsulating the
essence of that Ppal.. And we had within that approach sou& 3kt to
direct Ourselves to UflyS in wkich ' Some forms o+ legitimate assistance
can be provided. It's a rather smnall Package. And the sort% of
t~ 5t-hat Jpirj'e LjOn? Iwhat y1, u wL-! e ta) ik-Ing aboute 9or instance,
we've suggested a,' offissi9on Into % v'& rA marketing haridling charges.
Ibnd it does appear thgt a fairly signiticant cost is being imposed
upon Austral ian produgers in that area. And we think something can
be done there. We've looked ate6b4E elements wkich may help to reduce
the cost burden on + armors whi04 is an, appropriate and legitimate way
of going about this.
Buts In the end, what we have said, not merely to our own rural
constituency) but whit we're saying to the United States and what
I'll nBM~ 4 5b* e5sy , nW hat I'll be Saying to Mirs. ThatcHer, to
Prime Ministers Craxi and Papandreou, is this; if the world
continues with thls concept of subsidizing, heavily subsidizing
rural producers and partictilarly Heavily subsidizing exports as a
result of internal overproduction, then, that Is the road to
disaster. Ando what I'm wanting to sets particularlyo when I go to
Europap into th'e minds of the Europeans) is as I've put it the
conjunction of interests that exist.. That i5, Our interest as
an efficient producer, agriculture Producer) and theirs, that th 9
enormous subsidization which is involved vir J$ trOvj,
is signlifcatly against thefir Interests. The sort of figures % hat
are involved ore massive. The budgetary subsidy for agriculture in
% he last year is $ 27 billiont and that includes $ 9 billion tar export
subsidy. Now ti-at i5 , ust the budgetary cost. The cast by way ot
transfer from consu. mers in very' very High prices is estimated to be
double that.
Now that means that the level of economic growth in the
APR. 1e ' 86 18: 04 AUSTRALIAN DIPLOMATIC NETWORK
community is significantly loe than it otherwise would have been.
1It is estimated that ' omqthlng like one-snd-a-4, el+ million more
people could be employed in the European commiunty it those practices
weren't followed. So what we lIv! ultimately it; t to got is not to
try and Play a same against one anatkarliii4tHis subsidy against that
subaidys as I say. taxpayer againit that taxpayer. We won't win
like that. 0 ; Sure SOPIP y'o. are Successfu. l. Were You disappointao int
Mr. McLaughl in describing your package as a % ad arid disappointing
document. PRIME MINISTER HAWKE, Let me any this, I would have been
surprised if Mr. McLa'u ghIinm hasn't said anythiing elso. He Is an
awro-Politician, perh'aps in both, senses of the word " agro."
O Can I go back to Libya again?
PRIME MINISTER H AWKE, Well, yes. I'm + luid in those matters.
Q In the lig'ht of the Libyan criticism in the United Nations
yesterday iMiSGCA40mc fr A does it concern you n4 440# 4
Australia mighebb.. tarrset for terrorist activity'?
PRIME MINiSTER NAWKE' It would always concern me if Australia
or Australians within our country or abroad were to become a target
for action. This did not preclude us in January from responding
positively to a call by the United States to its friends around the
world, ar4 countries around the rest of the world to take some sort
a+ actions against L* I~ bya. In January o1 this year in response to
that suggestion from the United Stateso we did these things.
Firstly) we reduced the level af representation in the Libyan
embass~ y. And secondlys we responded positively to the request that vhemi
the United States was then saying ' t would withdraw assistance of
U. S. nationals In Libya In the oil figldsi tH at we should not fll
that gapi and we responded positively in that way. Now we believe
that that wag the right th-Ing to doi and we were not intimidated in
taking what we thought was the rimlht decision through some perception
that we would so incqr the wrath oi Libya and perhaps pu~ t ourselves
at riisk.
It seems to me the world I-, a got to understand that it It behaves In
that way and allows Itself to be intimidatedi it's not a very tenable
world In which we're going to live.
0 Mr. Hawkel
PRIME MINISTER HAWKE% PYRIeE aMh~ i. T ERiHA'UEl: Il come bar. k to you.-
PPR. 18 ' 836 18: 05 AUSTRALIAN DIPLOMA~ TIC NETWORK P. 06
Ln the ls-couple of' days; there has been a rebal tour
of Now Zealand rugby players errivying in Soutlh Africa to play a
seIas of games . thor I F ir stlIy what i s the Austr aIi an at t itude
toward it? Would Australis, under its pol icy on sports C* fcP. 1 4
ban those players from representing thiNew
Zealand nationai team at any future games they may be cal led Upon to
play in Australia'?
* PRIME MINISTER HAWKE, Weil, lot me first a+ all-say that we
share the view of Mr. Lange that the action of those players is to be
total ly regrettC'd And iUt stuestiamnwhich I'm not entitlfed to
express a legal opinion, but it's a Cquet Ion ot whether) in fact)
by that subterfuge theyv mlyd hyhv in fact broken the
letter as wellI as the spirit of the low which was brought down by the
court in New Zealand in regard to the All-Blacks' proposed tour*. So
we deplore the decision of those involved to undertake that tour)
because we would say that whatever view one may have had when they
were talking about their All-Blacks tour# surely thu evidence which
ka. accumulated s ince ' that t Ime of what 1s happeni ng I n South Afr ice
should have led them to the conclusion that it was improper to be
giving aid and comfort to a regime under which Increasing numbers of
people are being killed,
So it's qwite clear what our position is) and under the,
provisions of Green Eagles) the situation would be that we would not
be within Australia playing against people who are im that category.
Now I hope thatj if+ I can broaden my answer Just br ieflIY,; I woulId
hope that as a result 04 what we are doing within tke Lommonweelth,
a d it t e sstance which, I believe we will receive from t e
United States, I hope that there will be a positive response from the
government of Southn Africa to the proposals that have been put to i t
by 0, r Eminent Persons Group, which Proposals provide the basis
for the beginnings of dialogue. And what's got to happen is that
th-rough, those processes 0? clalosuei we can begin the processes of
change peacefully in s outh Africa
because the " iernat~'" I believe is frightful t otmlt n
dnb' eiee tatwI have a Icing timescaie within which thte
processes of dialogue will be available.
Q HwMk. e in our t~ e~ t from the white House today
morning you said that the Australian governmn dos notl
accept that violance. J'is a Solution t ope rbeso h ol
we share. PRIME MINISTER HAWKE, Yes.
RPR. 18 ' 86 18: 06 AUSTRA~ LIAN DIPLOMATIC NETWORK
00D you % to this position applying equally to military
act loni Such aS that . jndertakem by the US against Libya this week?
PRMIMI ISTR HWK~ i Well# it is an embracing statement. I
tl , nkj however) if yow look at the Statement that I made in ' 0h1
Parliament and the sttement Herei the emphases are clearly Placed.
I don~' t tinik there i~ any doubt about whire those emphases are. We
don) t want t0o se6 tor e used iin any way) And we gay both i n Canber rg
and here that thy resntial condition of removing force from thle
% cone is a commitmen~ t by Libya to refrain trom the resort to
terrorismn. 0 JuJst + 01llowing On~ from John's question) given the view
that violence is not a solution to the Complex Problems of the worlIds
did you urge Presid ent Reagah to revise his previously expressed
view that America Stands ready to repeat 044-k-if the situation
PRIME MINISTER HAWKE: AS IMosid 1 think twice here my private
converSationsg with the President reflected what we've soid Publicly#
And that i s that we be I eve that th, best resources ol all o+ us
should be used to settle these matters in the way which we Suggested
in our contribution in the Security Council.
O2 & A1% I yowr talks Save you called for the Publication of the
evidence -ibye as yaw said you hoped to?
PRIME MINISTER HAWKE, Yes) I put to tHe Presidenit and others tc
whom I spoke % he view that havin% town the evidence myself, and which
f ind compelling and I say I'ves seen evidence in Australia and
I'vehadadditional evidence made available to me since I've been
here Ibel ieve that it would be in the best interest ot the United
the UieSttswatodo. I wouldn't presumetoelthmwa
to do. That is a viei~ that I have. I recognize the very
considerable cowrittr-gons iderat ions that are in thy minds ot thit
President and those who advise his and I don't think it needs MUCS
imagination to understand what those counter-comsiderations are. bu~ t
I speak from the position of , aiviri9 seen the evidence and tindins it
compelling and feelin~ that It would be useful if the world could guy
it. But I accept that that must be a decision wliich% the United
States makes taking i hto account & I i those considerations that it
must do.
0 What did President Reagan reply toth?
ri.; t
APR. 18 ' 86 18: 12 AUSTRALIAN DIPLOMATIC NETWORK P. 01
PRIME MINISTER HAWKEI Well, the President, and Q4* c-t wO-N
I Spkt retorred to tihe counter-conslderat ions. Trhy are intelligent
people. I guess th ' u nderotand the strMgh of the reasoning that
I've puts but they ulitimately are the ones wo've got to make the
judgments about the integrity of thutr intelligence Operation. And
; t would be preaumptuul for someone who hasn't got the
responsibility for tlleir intelligence operation to presume to make
the judgment 40r' tenq. All I con do from my point of view is to say
what I one as the adiantaese.
Q Is that evidence so compelling that/ it was
worth soint Publico co you believe that other countries would support
the United States' *; tion?
PRIME MINISTER HAWKE, Well; let me Say this, as a very least
I believe that the evIdence or made available would destroy at
one stroke the statements of those who seek to cast doubt upon the
crediblity t! the United State* when they ro~ orred to the
exIstece of such evidence.
Q Mr. Hawkei is the evidence to which you refer the
electronic interceptsi?
PRIME MINISTER HAWKE, Oh now aorrr c'n.
Q uelI, what is the evidence then?
PRIME MINISTER HAWKE; Wells when you're shown something in
total confidence wit~ the highest intelligence rating you wowld even
exceed the bounds o+ f optimism ot some of my press gallery friends If
you thought 1 was going to break that confIdence. 1 notice they
don't ask the questlqn. All I can say is that it lsin my judiment,
authentic and It is in my judgment compelling.
a Was it evidence related to the specific justification for
the strikeback that was made M ^ nclA
PRIME MINISTER HAWKE; 1 have evidence that has been provided to
me, most specifically in regard to the West Berlin Incident# but very
importantly evidence which goes beyond that to projected propDoals
for a range of attacl~ s into the future as well as may I say some
other recent aborted attacks planned.
Q Do you feel you've made any progress on the South Pacific
nuclar free Zone trebtyl
P. 0
RPR. 18 18: 13 AUSTRALIAN DIPLOMARTIC NETWORK P0
PRIME MINISTER H WKE, Yesi I think we are better placed now
than we were. The op ortunity has been Provided 0+ putting the case
at allI levels now to thip President Secretary Wieinberger and I did
that lolt week in Can , erra and to poopl o@ n the Hi Ii who have an
interest in tkese matters. My Judgment is, Michelle, that tkgp# is
no doubt now in their minds that the operation at the treaty and
therefores the adherence to the protocols by the United States w~ culd
in no way diminish or endanger the operation 0+ our treaty
relationsihips irder ANZUG. I have no doubt that that is clearly and
without question in the minds of our friends here,
Now, that does not mean that thnere may not 6@ some Other
considerations thatil*' would feel that4I went to take into account.
But
the point that i've just made I think is now clear beyond question in
their minds, and I can only express the hope that in the result they
will feel able to becoame adherents to the Protocols.
Q A senior admInistration official who briefed after your
talks with President ' Reagan said the U. S. Interpreted your
statements on the I-lby~ pIssue as OuPPOrting US action? Are You happy
with that interpretatipm?
PRIME MINISTER HAWKE, This is another approach to the
question that Has been raised In thrae or four different ways
already. I could I 5uppose just ask You to turn Your tape& back to
* the answers I Have already given. What I'm about, I repeat3 is to Put
thle Position at the goveOrnment I've done that in Canberra,
we've Had it done in N w York and I've rapflected privateily what we've
* said Publicly. I've Indicated that there are numbers of
interpretations a% to how Libya or spokesmen I'm not going to
enter into the business of saying Yuueti wriyuueta
word." I'm about positively trying to deal with this situation.
We've done that. I'm not 9oing to be diverted by saying, " Whick word
do YOU Wart to attaCh-? A
Q Australia se I fically referred in its UN statement to
Libyan terrorism and vialence. WHY didn't You refer to the United
* States actions specifirjallyI
PRIME MINISTER HAWKL: Ueli, it is not correct to say that we
w. didn't refer to the action of the United States, because we said in
the Parliament and it Was reflected in the statement in the United
* Nations that we counseled restraint and we doepiy regret the conflict
has taken place and urgyes both sides to restrain hostilities and
engage in general ettorits to bring about the Peaceful resolution of
their differences. That's what I said in Canberra and the United
* Nations * language rtflefcts that so I don't think it 1i, correct to say
that reference wasn't Mnade to action on both sides. but what those
Statements did make cig~ ar in both Canberra and in Now Yark is that
the essential condition for the creation of an end to this
APR. 18 ' 86 18: 14 AUSTRA~ LIAN DIPLOMA~ TIC NETWORK P0
conflict is the commitment by Libya to ceast its terrorist action.
This Is not ju 6t that, it acknowledges terrorism at an appropriate
instrument. The evidence is, as 1 sayo compelling that they arm
diracting and controlling and 2xporting terrorism. And until that
ceases) you are not going to have tka condition for an end to this
cam# I i ct
0 Did you discuss with the President or any of the Other
People you visited orl the Hill the differences that Australia has
with the administratilon, on the fu. nding ot the Contras in Nicaragua'?
PRIME MI NISTER; HjAWlKE% There was an Acknowledgement. It didn't
take up a great deal of our time) because we had so many other
matters to talk about. But thuro was an -acknowledgement of the
difference of position that we hanve in regard to Central America. it
took up ver-y little 0, f our time.
O Mr. Hawke, do you expect to got1~ support for your
position on L~ bya'?
PRIME MINISTER HAWKE, On?
O 1' rt position you have put to the administration on the
Libyan attack.
PRIME MINISTER IJAWKE: W~ ell) let me say this) as I've said
I've lost count Of how many times I've said it here that the
position that we'Ve piut privately in our discussions with the
administration r of Ieclts what we have put in the Parliament and in the
United Nations. And I Iunderstandi and I'm not going to so back on
what I said b f r. I'm not commentIng in any detail on what
hpesback in Auostra4li a while I'm away but I understand that on
th, morning after I lieft that in the continued Caucus meetings which
had been acheduled at any rate# tkat Sill Hayden gave* a report to tke
caucus on our position# and that that report# as I understand, wasn
accepted by the caucus at least there was no attemtpt to depart
from the report tkat Mr. Hayden gave. And we have boom In constant
communications he* reign minister and myselfs since I left. And
the presentation tHat; we've made at the United Nationsi and the
inclusion of the paragraph in my departure statement Iheret represents
the coincidence of position between the foreign minister and myself.
0 Mr. Prime Ministers the US administration is interpreting
publicly PRIME MINISTER HAWKE-Bes Your pardon'? P-03
APR. 18 ' 86 18: 15 AUSTRAiLIA~ N DIPLOMATIC NETWORK P. 04
0k ThUS admi niStration is interpretin2 Publicly that you
are supporting their attack on Libya. That 19 tiuir : nterpretation,
not a journalistic iriterpretation. Are you mappy with that
nterpretation? PRIME MINISTER HAWKE: I repeat what I've said befoire, and
don't know
PRIME MINISTER HAWKE,' Now, wait a minute. Lot me at least
repeat what I've 5aid bvfore, before you ask me to repeat it & aan, OV
not to repeat it again. And that is that it's q~ uite clear that
people will give particaular emphasis to particular parts ot our
statement. What we've tried to do Is to address ourselves to the
issue in a way which ref lects a proper judgment of the circumstances
which save rise to this action
And) that statement both in the parliment and again in New York in
the Security Council does say that the essential condition for the
bringing to an end of i conflict is the adoption of a Position by
Libya which esckews resort to terrorism. Now, that's what we said
about where it h* hic and we've addressed ourselves to the future.
And we will continue within the United Nations to do what we can to
try and positively bring about a situation where this sort of
conflict does not arise again. That's the major thing that we should
be concerned about) not only Australia but we believe everyone that's
nvol ved. 0 Mr. Hawke, I an we go back to the issue of agriculture just
for a little moment--
PRIME MINISTER HAWKE, Well, I've got nothing--
o going around and round and round in circles--
PRIME MINiSTER HAW4KE-Well I'm net laoint around and around in
circles. I must say th Iat agriculture interests me much more.
O Yeah, well,-' it interests me, too.
PRIME MINISTER HA WKE, Yeah, I noticed. ( Laughter)
a Nobody wants a prIce-cutting war. And it would appear
that Amer icans are hell-bent on getting back the market that
they Ive Ios~ eAkhey havilIso got a very sizable bud-get to make
sure thevy do get their mnarkets back) and it would appear that there
oa price war inevit~ ble except as you mention that there's a
possibility of trade negotiations. Nowi what's the
likelihood from the discussions you've had that there will be trade
negotiations before a price war'? And if a price war Is lnevitabiei
PPR. 18 ' 86 18: 17 AUSTRA~ LIAN1 DIPLOMATIC NETWORK e16
how lon~ g is it igoing to go on before wt Got sanity return?
PRIME MINISTER HAWJKEt Well, I don't think it's inevitable.
Right at this moment) I think, in Paris I think tkey're meeting; it
may be Bruisevis. Mr. & utter. arid Mr. Lyrig are soins to be discussing
with the Europeans tHe ' immediate di++ icu! ties in regard to the action
whicho hag been taken by the community as a resuit of the accession by
Spain and Portugal talthe Common Market and at lipast-that'g Ye'utter
and Lyins and Anderson (: fork* are sitting down arid trying to
work their way tkrou9h this. 1 don't think we have to be totally
pessimistic Q# J lQ! that this trade war ia In all respects inevitable.
All we can do with-ti,, relatively limited clout and status that we
Have vis-a-vis Europir, and the United States it to point to the
ultimately self-defeating nature of recourse is that position.
There's nothing more we can do. We haven't got the resources to
stand up there and play that game arid we don't intend to.
0 Mr. Prime Ministers jusltaking your answer to Peter
Lo ue'hl1st quesion) does this mean that you will not publicly
refute the US interpretation of your position.
PRIME MINISTER HAWKE, It means th-at I am not going to got up
and deal with everyone's interpretation of my positions whether It's
a spokesman for the adMinistratlonM Whether it's Libya, whether it's
Mr. Howard. I used tlke phrase just as I departed at the airport in
Canberra that I'm not'soing -to lot into tHisi+ tPfarte I think I used Is.
." squallid auction", arid I regard it asgsquailid auction to oay,
M" iere are you on some scale of support'?" 1 used it In regard to the
leader Woteoppositi-on. I regard it as a totally squallid auction
that tHepapposition should be getting up and 5ayingo " I'm more
supportive. You're less supportlve of someone or ather.' It
reflects no credit onipeople who want to got into that
auction. I'm not getiAns into it. I Have enoush faithi in the
integrity of my foreign minister and myself as prime minister who
Have formulated the p61' tion ci' the Australian government to allow
those statements to stand on their own.
What we're about is the tuture. That's what everyone should be
about. How are wes as men and women of good wiil lacging to try and
usje our resources to bring about a situation where we won't Have a
recurrence of this pa~ ition" f That's what I'm about. And you can ask
all the questions you like and Have your own attempts to create an
auction. Ytu wtjn't find me as 4 starter.
APR. 18 ' 86 18: 16 AUSTRALIAN DIPLOMATIC NETWORK P. 06
Q Pr imt M~ iniater there have already been repr ivels to
the US air raid with the murder of three people in L. ebanon. Dole
this Suggest to you that the Palestinian question may hayS an
important bear ing on ti whole situationt and would you se& any
Done& in the United States and perhaps yourself making
representation* I to Israel on this matr
* PRIME MINISTER HAWKE, Wello ther, are continuing discussions
going an as to possibia methods and bases for resolving whgat you
properly Identify as afundamental problem in the Middle Eastl that
is; the relationshOPS 11between Israel and the Palestinians. Without
going into the details of a comfidentlal conversationp I was
privileged to receive from George Slhultx some detailed indications of
the sort of discussions that they are Currently involved In. And of
courses all nations and men and women of good will should be
addressing themselves to what ways there may be to got some
resolution 0 that iSSu9# Because It is trues as your question
implies) that until theoro is some acceptable and decent resolutlon of
that isswes thsen there's, from that causes going to continue to be
tensions In the Middli East and alsawhers.
But don't Simply Say 0hat it's a question ot talking to lorsel
and getting Israel involved, There are Posporisibilitles on the part
of other states as well as the state f Israeli and it zhould be tho
view, I believes of all nations tha&, Irael and the Arab states and
% he Palestinians alould be prepared to sit down and talk through this
i55ue in a peaceful way. I+ that were donvi then a very large
element of the cause ibt Problems in the Middle East would be
eliminated; not entirel'yo but a large part of it.
THE PRESS, 1hhannkk yyuou.