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PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW WITH BARBARA WALTERS ABC GOOD MORNING;
AMERICA, WASHINGTON DC, 27 JUNE 1989.
Walters: Prime Minister Bob Hawke of Australia is in the United
States for an off icial visit. Later today he meets with President
George Bush and Secretary of State James Baker. It's the first
Bush/ Hawke summit since Mr Bush was elected President and itts
pretty certain that trade between the two countries will top the
discussions. Right now the Prime Minister joins us from
Washington. Walters: Good Morning Mr Prime Minister. It's a sad fact that
most American's probably would not know unprompted, the name of
the Prime Minister of Australia. Do most Australians know the
name of the President of the United States?
PMi They sure do.
Walters: We are remiss. Most of what we know about Australia
probably comes from Crocodile Dundee movies or commercials. Can
you tell us, what should we know most about your wonderful
country? PM: I think you should know there's a country of 17 million down
there in the South Pacific and probably the strongest ally that
the United States has. We fought together in wars side by side
and that in peace time we've formed an alliance in defence an the
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that this President shares. So I quess those are the Important
sorts of things as well as the fact that we're able to knock you
over pretty regularly at tennis and anything else you like to
take us on at like sailing.
Walters: Oh I see well as I was not going to bring it up Mr Prime
Minister, but we saw youz play golf with President Bush, you were
not great... ( laughter).
PMi You didn't see me play golf. You saw a most unfair
representation. My first shot after weeks on an aeroplane and
sitting in rooms. Why didn't you show the second shot?
Walters: Because you shot into the fairway but it was the wrong
one. ( laughter) Well maybe we'll show the second one. on your
agenda today I don't think you're going to be discussing golf Mr
President. What is it? What are the biggest trade concerns.
RN: well, we're a bit worried that the program you have here,
your export enhancement program to protect your farmers is
knocking the bojesus out of your own people here. It's coating
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( PM Cont) about $ 74 Billion a year, to your taxpayers and
consumers. The 90 odd per cant are being taken for a ride in
favour of a very small percentage and we're the ones that to some
extent are getting hurt. But we're not going to allow that
particular argument that we have to upset the firm understandings
and points of agreement we have on just about every other issue.
But that's a silly thing that's happening to American taxpayers
and consumers. You are paying as I say the best part of a $ 100
billion which increases your costs and your prices. That's
stupid. We think it's stupid. The Europeans are doing the same.
You're trying to beat them but in the process you're hurting
yourself and the rest of the world.
Walterst Do you think you're going to get that changed?
PM: No. I have a great conviction inmow cwrs
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lown in one day.
Walters: Mr Prime Minister you know how concerned we have been
about what's been going on in China and I'm sure you have as
well. And you have trade with China. What is your attitude
towards the Chinese? How far are you going in condemnation or
restrictions? PM I've had the opportunity already on Sunday of having long
talks with George Bush about this. Our positions are I would say
identical. What we are going to do Barbara is two things and it's
very difficult to walk the line between. Firstly we have to
unequivocally condemn the barbarism, brutality, the
unacceptability of what they've done in Tianaman Square on the
fourth, and persecution and execution of people since then.
There's no question about that. Secondly in the interests of the
people of China themselves as well as the region and of the
world. We mustn't close off the relationship with China and turn
them in on themselves, because that would be bad for the Chinese
people. it will stifle the moves that will inevitably go on
within that great country for further not only economic reform
but for further political reform. If we close ourselves off. if
we don't cooperate in an acceptable way then we will be going
against the interests of the very people we want to help. Now
that's a difficult line which political leaders have to walk. But
to attempt to walk it we must.
Walters: I think it is very similar to the point of view of our
President. PM: I think we are at one.
Walters: Sir, you do have another problem, and that is that eight
years from now Hong Kong goes back to the Chinese and are you
concerned that you may have so many refugees from Hong Kong. Can
you handle them, will you take them all.
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PM: I like the assumption in your question that we've got to
handle them.
Walters; Well, I've heard that a great-many of them have already
buying homes in Australia and are thinking of going there.
PM4: Well sure, under our immnigration program Barbara we have a
business migration element in which we welcome people from there
and other areas. It's going to be, if you take the most
pessimistic scenario, and there isn't a decant relationship
between China and Hong Kong and the rest of the world at that
time, then all the world and particularly Britain that has the
relationship with Hong Kong has to be prepared to do something
about accepting those people who want to leave.
Walters: We thank you for being with us. We hope that Americans
will remember the name. I'm sure they all liked seeing you today,
Prime Minister Bob Hawke of Australia. Thank you.
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