PM Transcripts

I C1
TRANSCRIPT OF DOORSTOP, YARRAMUNDI VISITORS' CENTRE,
CANBERRA, 19 NOVEMBER 1990
E 0 E PROOF ONLY
JOURNALIST: What do you think of Gough Whitlam's envoy,
hostage envoy?
PM: Well I've got nothing to add in respect of the
proposed Whitlam visit to what I've said on behalf of the
Government in regard to all such visits and that is that
the Government doesn't embrace them or condone them for
the reason which has been accepted by all governments
involved in the multinational forces seeking to impose
United Nations sanctions. There is common ground that
any such official involvement weakens the attempt of the
international community to deal with the essential issue
and that is the totally unacceptable annexation of Kuwait
by Iraq and the fact that any hostages are maintained by
Saddam Hussein. This playing with hostages, as the
leadership of Iraq is doing, is repugnant. Having said
that, I repeat what I've said before that if these
individual missions do in fact achieve the release of
some hostages then of course for those who are released
and their families we welcome that. But the governments
of the nations involved in this important attempt to
maintain international law and adherence to international
standards will not themselves be involved in such
missions. JOURNALIST: Isn't it a propaganda coup for Iraq to get
Gough Whitlari to go, Prime Minister?
PM: Well they obviously I mean it's perfectly clear
that they arE! expressing great satisfaction in getting
ex-Prime Ministers, whether it's from Japan, New Zealand,
Australia, they are obviously seeking to extract
political pro'paganda and mileage from it.
ends