PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF PRESS CONFERENCE FOLLOWING OFFICIAL LUNCH,
CYPRUS, 26 JANUARY 1987
E 0 E PROOF ONLY
I'am a nrember of the Commonwealth Committee of Cyprus.
t. L4Commonwealth Action Group.....
6NA. And which way this Action Group is working to happier days.
Well it has had three meetings since its formation, and the view
that it has taken and I think understood by our friends is that
it would keep a monitoring role upon the discussions and processes
under the aegis of the United Natio's-. Secretary-General. If at
some point it would appear/ f latot her role, then that would
be considered but I think that its understood at this stage that
the appropriate process, but I would think that at our meeting
in October President Klprianouwould be reporting to the
Commonwealth what had transpired at that time and the Commonwealth
would have considered at that stage in October this year
consider if there was any other avenue open to it as
Commonwealth. What is the secret/ o te rek iEpriot in the / 6
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6,
What the secret? Well I can only really speak of the period--
since 1983 as to why they are happy now and that is because
good government is being provided which 40 read a significant
economic recovery which they have participated but I may add too
to that point, but I think the secret of the success, if not merely
the happiness and the capacity of Greek and Turkish Cypriots to
live together but more broadly the-capacity of people from scores
Of different countries to L. ive---tog-e-theristhat-the. r-e
gratitude on the part of Australians as what we describe as a
" fair go", thats an Australian expression, fair go and stripped of
all the academic jargon that might be developed by sociologists
around that point, I think it simply means that every person
irrespective of sex, religion, ethnic origin ought to have the
opportunity in freedom to develop his or her capacity to the full.
That's the attitude of Australians, and we try to make that work
as perfectly as we can and wit hin that framework that people
of different backgrounds are able to live peacefully together
beyond
and perhaps in that way that has some lessons fts. the shores of
Australia. Q. What are you expecting from your mission in the . Middle East?
Hawke: Oh, just let me repeat what I've said before, _ we haven't
come toAtiddle East crossing ourselves as* mediators, as people
with any especial expertise but rather we are coming as a-country
which I think is in good standing with the countries that we
are visiting: Jordan, Israel and Egypt a country which has a
concern, not only about the tragedy or potential tragedy of a
conflict in that region, but also as a country which has strong
ties bilaterally, a country who hab a large part of export / 17
trade
and import/ passes through the region, a large part of his
communication passes through the region, so I've come
essentially to have a listen, be informed of the perspectives
of the leadership of the countries in question and I've simply
said if there's any way at all which Australia may be able to be
of assistance then of course we would be available but I had not
in any sense meant, to exaggerate arole for Australia.
Q. What does your country think of the International Conference
in Cyprus?.
Hawke: Well the President has put the view to us that that could
be an appropriate course of action we have said that at this
stage we see the office of the Secretary-General as being
appropriate to pursue the issue that has not precluded at some
stage the possibility of such a conference, but it seems at this
stage that the issues dividing the party is so complex that an
amount of work remains to be done, but it could be that at some
stage the appropriate course of action again in the end these
matters will only be dissolved if there is the will on the part
of the immediate parties concerned, and I would simply like to say
that as a result of the meeting that I have had today with the
President I have absolutely no doubt about the will, and the
commitment and the integrity of the President and his Government
to effect a solution.