PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW WITH KERRY O'BRIEN AND HEATHER EWART, 23
SJANUARY 1987. ONAIRCRAFTBETWEEN SYDNEY AND SINGAPORE
E 0 E PROOF ONLY
JOURNALIST: what do you thinfk youwill ' be ab-leto achiev~ e_
out of it on behalf of Australian?
PM: Let's get the first point. I read in all the papers that
I have this passion to visit Israel as Prime Minister. It is true
that I have wanted to visit Israel but as part of a visit to the
Middle East. I believe that the Middle East remains one of the
f laih points of possible world conflict. And therefore Australia,
as well as having an altruistic concern in trying 46 JV
of some peaceful settlement there has taken the people concerned
also as a country involved in the search for a more stable world.
wants to know what is happening there, to take the opportunity
of listening to the leaders of these three important countries.
And I repeat in particular, I don't go there in the role of a
mediator nor do I go there with any inflated expectations of what
we can do. We go there as a nation of good will, accepted and
respected by the countries concerned. If they believe that there
is anything at all that we can do to help the processes, of course
we stand ready to do itL.
JOURNALIST: Do you expect any difficulties at all in maintaining
the Australian Government's even-handed approach in this region
so far?
PM: I have had no difficulty since I have been Prime Minister
in putting within Australia, and in all relevant forums, the
fundamentals of Australia's position in the Middle East. That
is firstly, our insistence on the right of Israel to exist behind
secure and recognised borders and at the same the recognition of
the rights of the Palestinians. That is a view I had long
before I became Prime Minister. It is now reflected in the attitude
of the Government and of myself as Prime Minister.
JOURNALIST: M1r Hawke, why is there no time for you or why a re
you not going to visit the West Bank or the Gaza Strip?
PM: It hasn't been regarded as essential. I am going to be seeing
the King of Jordan who speaks with considerable authority and
knowledge of that sector. I will be meeting with Palestinians
in Jerusalem. I will have a full capacity to be informed, I believe,
by those with an interest in the welfare of the residents of that
region. .14 AUS Ll
JOURNALIST: But if you are determined to demonstrate a genuine
even-handedness, you are not taken at all by the import of a gesture
where you would go to one of the major Palestinian settlements.
particularly one under Israeli military rule?
PM: No. I don't think that it is necessary and it hasn't been
put to me as being. I don't, myself, regard it as necessary.
Let's got this thing right. We are not going to say look, we
are even-handed, I am now undertaking a visit here to prove evenhandedness.
That is an absurd perception. The world knows, and
the countries in the region know, the integrity of Australia's
position. So I don't have to go over there and organise an
Sitinerary to prove something that is already known.
JOURNALIST: But do you think you are as familiar with the suffering
and the plight of Pales-tinians--as -you-have been--over--the-years--
with that of the Israelis?
PM: Yes, I am aware of it. I -have-had-the-opportunity of-studying.
and listening to people. I met Mayor Freij in my office in Canberra.
And I think he speaks with authority about this issue. He is
certainly regarded as a person who speaks with authority.
JOURNALIST: Mr Hawke, did President Reagan offer you any advice
about this trip when he telephoned you?
PM: No, he didn't. He wished me well on the trip. He was very
interested to know I was undertaking it. But no, he tendered no
advice. JOURNALIST: Would you expect that any advice might be offered
from other quarters?
PM: No.
JOURNALIST: On what basis has Australia rpjected the right of a
representative of the PLO to attend a delegation in Australia later
in the year?
PM: I have just had a brief discussion with the Foreign Minister
earlier this week. And he expressed the view that it was probably
not appropriate to do it this year. I haven't gone into lengthy
discussions with him about it.
JOURNALIST: But even on the basis of brief discussions, on what
basis does hie have that view and do you agree with him?
PM: There is no necessity in his view to conduct this conference
here at this time. As I understand it. and I don't pretend to
know all the background, but as I understand it, there are conferences
of a similar nature being held in other areas and that being the
case, the view was put, and I agree with it, that no particular
purpose would be served by replicating that in Australia.
JOURNALIST: It is a United Nations sponsored conference though,
would there really have been much harm in having it in Australia?
PM: talk about great harm. There are many United Nations
conferencesall over the world. Just because a conference is sponsored
by the United Nations there is no conclusion that follows logically
from that. 4