PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF COMMENTS AT PETRA, JORDAN, 25 JANUARY 1987
E 0 E PROOF ONLY
PM: the mind boqgles at-the bril1liance-and the geometricalcapacity,
the architectural capacity, without any of the sorts
of aids to which we have become accustomed. But to get the form
in buildings like this-without sorts--of-asistAnce or -instrudents
that we are aware and the labour that had to go in this without
any mechanical assistance, just boggles the mind. When you come
in first and see the Treasury Building, as you come through the
narrow defile the form of that as I say it is staggering to
see that that could have been done. I think more than any other
place I have ever been in this is the sort of place that makes
you project your mind back and think how they lived and how they
built. If you were able to go back in time and see something,
be there at that time, this is where I would like to be.
JOURNALIST: Do you think more leaders should come to places like
this? Do you think it is in some way humbling?
PM: It certainly makes you very much aware of your own mortality
and insignificance in time.-
JORDANIAN JOURNALIST: inaudible q~ stion..
PM: It has just confirmed my very warm friendship towards the
Jordanian Government and people. They have been extraordinarily
kind to us and it was a very great thrill this morning to be able
to go to Pella and to see there the cooperation between the Jordanian
antiquities authorities and our archaeological team from the Sydney
University. It gave me a great deal of pleasure to be able to
say to them there when they told me that they could do more work
if the? had another $ 30,000 to have 2 people there permanently
to announce that I would arrange to find that money from private
sources in Australia because that will enable a continuation of
the work there. It was very exciting. The finds go back for
250,000 years BC. And they say -that. it is more exciting than
any other archaeological find anywhere in the Middle East because
they have got layer upon layer successive the ages, as I say,
going back to 250,000 years BC they have found material there.
So it is good to have these sorts of associations between Australia
and Jordan to have work being done together which is going to
help to increase the understanding of people about our history.
our background.
JOURNALIST: It is back to political reality tomorrow, Mr Hawke,
flying to Israel. You seem to have been embraced very warmly
by Jordan since you have been here. Do you feel that perhaps
Israel might be a little uncomfortable that you have been embraced
too warmly.
a 2.
PM: Israel is very much aware of the friendships I have had with
Jordan going back for a very long period. And it is obviously
the case that the Jordanians have a very committed approach to
trying to get a just and reasonable and durable peace in the region
and I am sure the Israelis understand that.
JOURNALIST: Have you thought any more about what approach you
might adopt when you are in Israel, Mr Hawke?
PM: I am quite aware of the approach I will adopt but I don't
intend to announce that publicly.
JOURNALIST: The local press has reported that you have actually
,-endorsed-King--Hussein'-s -plan--for an-international-peace-con-fere nce~-
Does that mean that you accept and endorse the need for the Soviet
. Union and the United States to be involved in such a conference?
PM: I have said that I agree with the concept of the Jordanian
_ idea. of an internation -al * con ference. And -as I understand the
composition of that conference is something that will have to
be worked out between the parties involved. I certainly understand
their thinking about the composition of the conference. They
say it is a matter that will have to be worked out between the
parties. JOURNALIST: Do you also understand Israel's objection to the
Soviet Union being involved?
PM: Yes, I think I do. Kerry. You are learning about things
now after your first boo-boo are you?
JOURNALIST: Mr Hawke, the Jordan Times was suggesting that Australia
could have a very important role to play while in Israel because
of the way you picked while in Jordan, were you pleased to
read that?
PM: I haven't read it yet. I guess it will be conveyed to me.
I have no reason to change what .1 said before and that is we don't
exaggerate our roles or our capacities but simply say that if
those involved think that we can be of some assistance then we
are ready to do that. But I don't think anyone's interests are
served by exaggerating what we may simply as a result of being.
But certainly it is the case that we had a very warm cordial,
constructive session yesterday with the Prime Minister then of
course with His Majesty afterwards. And I am certainly very,
very much better informed now about the thinking of this important
party than I was before.
ENDS