PRIME MINISTER
C? RAII-IDELLVEHY EM5ARQQGOEED. J-I DELIVERY.
PRIME MINISTERS STATEMENT
PRESS CONFERENCE 28 FEBRUARY 1991
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IRAQ'S OCCUPATION OF KUWAIT HAS COME
TO AN END.
Mi. lJTARY OPERATIONS BY THE COALITION FORCES, CONIIUCTDI UNDER
RESOLUTION 678 OF T]' HE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL.,. ARE
REJNG SUSPENDED AT THIS MOMENT.
' FF1~ 4 HAVE BEEN SET DOWN FOR A FORMAL CEASE-FIRE., WHITCH WE
HOPFF CAN 6E CONCLJIOF Wi'rHOU'' DET.. AY.
AS!. THAT (, All PREVENT THIIS SUSPEIISION BECOHI1NG PERHANEN1 JS A
REFFUSAL, RY SADDAM HUSSEIN TO COMPLY WITH T'up. roTrA[, lYV
REASONABLE CoI) iTioNs I. ATD fl. WN I'V TTPE 11Lr.
ON MY INSTRUCTIONS, TiF llFF THE UFFEHU-E FORCE HAS
DIRECTED AUSTRALIA'S ' ASK FORCE IN THE CIILF ro SuIzPEND
iOSTItITI ES UNDER ' v! iEi TERMS ANTI' 1'? I-CFD RY pRRSIll'E D)
1 ) 511 ' IDIS
ArTERNoONr). I'PEAKINC FOR AUSTIRAI. A, 7Q? 411 SIPEnrAF. Il ro) lYSEJE, illS IS A
MOMEN'T OF GREAT RELIEF AND hTOPE, GREAAT PITO. ? I-jD A1, SO 01-
GREAT'r SORROW.
WF ARE SAD TA'' IT IIAS BEEN NECE5SARY To RESORT O W4AR TO
RIGHT THE WRONG PERPETRATED BY SAIIDAM IUS! EEN () iJ 2 AII( 3S'T
WHEN HE INVADEDF KUWAIT.
BUT WE ARE GIAI) THAT THE WORLD HAS STOOD UNITED) AGAINHST IllS
ACT OF AGGRESSION, EVEN TO THE ULTIMATE SANC'I' 10\ l1 OF WAR.
WqlE ARE GLAD TIHAT THE UNI'' ED NATIONS HAS STOOD TRUE TO lITS
PRINCIPLES. AND THAT IT HAS SUCCFE) ED, IIROIjI TIlE SECURITY
COUNCIL, IN API, YNG THOSE PRINCIPLES IN AC'TION.
W4E ARE PROUD OF THE CONTRIBUTION WE [ N AUSTRA. IA HAVE MADE,
AND ESPECIALLY THE CON1TRIBUTION OF MEMBERS OF OUR AUSTRALIAN
IEFENCE FORCE, TO THIS GREAT INTERNATIONAL UNDERTAKING.
AND TODAY ABOVE ALL WE REJOICE THAT THE WAR HAS BEEN WON
QUICKLY, AND WITH SO FEW CASUJALTIES TO OUR ALLIED FORCES.
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FOR TH E PEOPLE OF KUWAIT, THIS VICTORY BRINGS TO AN END OVER
SEVEN MONTHS OF OCCUPATION MARKED BY PERSECUTION, ATROCITIES
AND DESTRUCTION. WE SHARE THEIR JOY IN LIBERATION.
F'OR IRAQ ALSO THE 1PRICE HAS BEEN TERRIBLE. WE GRIEVE FOR
THlE PEOPLE OF THIS TRAGIC COUNTRY, AND WE HOPE THAT THEY CAN
QUICKLY BIND THEIR WOUNDS AND REBUILD THEIR NATION AS A
RESPECTED AND RESPONSIBLE MEMBER OF' THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY. W4E MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THE END OF THE WAR IS NOT TUE END OF
THE CRISIS. MUCH REMAINS TO BE DONE TO BRING STABILITY TO
THE GULF, AND TO BRING A WIDER, DURABLE PEACE TO THE MIDDLE
EASTr. THIE END OF THE WAR SHOULD BRING NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO ADDRESS
THESE OLD PROBLEMS. OUR HOPE IS THAT THE SENSE OF
COMMITMENT AND COOPERATION WHICH SO MANY NATIONS IN THE
MIDDLE EAST AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD HAVE SHOWN IN
CONFRONTING SADDAM HUSSEIN WILL BE SHOWN AGAIN IN MEETING
THE CHALLENGES AHEAD.
AUSTRALIA WILL PLAY ITS PART IN MAKING SURE THAT THIS
VICTORY IS A VICTORY FOR ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE MIDDLE EAST.
BUT IT IS MORE THAN THAT. IT IS A VICTORY FOR PEOPLE
EVERYWHERE WHO WOULD LIVE IN PEACE. IT REAFFIRMS THAT THE
WORLD IS INDEED A WORLD COMMUNITY; THAT THE WORLD COMMUNITY
IS UNITED IN ITS COMMITMENT TO RESIST AGGRESSION; AND THAT
THE WORLD COMMUNITY HAS, IN THE UNITED NATIONS, AN EFFECTIVE
INSTRUMENT TO CONFRONT THE AGGRESSOR, IF ALL ELSE FAILS,
WITH THE ONLY ARGUMENT HE UNDERSTANDS THE ARGUMENT OF
FORCE. WE CANNOT PREDICT THE SHAPE OF THE NEW INTERNATIONAL ORDER.
BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THE COMPREHENSIVE DEFEAT OF SADDAM
HUSSEIN IN KUWAIT WILL STAND AS A WARNING BEACON FOR YEARS
TO COME TO ANYONE WHO WOULD CONSIDER AGGRESSION.
SO THE WORLD IS A SAFER PLACE TODAY.
IN4 THIS GREAT ACHIEVEMENT, THE UNITED) STATES HAS PLAYED A
SPECIAL PART. THROUGHOUT THIS CRISIS, THE UNITED STATES HAS
EMPLOYED ITS AUTHORITY AND ITS POWER TO SERVE INTERESTS
WHICH WERE NOT AMERICA'S ALONE, BUT WERE THE INTERESTS OF
THE WORLD COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. PRESIDENT BUSH AND THE
PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES HAVE OUR ADMIRATION FOR THEIR
CONDUCT AND THEIR LEADERSHIP, AND OUR THANKS FOR THEIR
COMMITMENT AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SACRIFICE IN A CAUSE WE
ALL SHARE.
FINALLY I TURN TO OUR OWN PEOPLE WHO HAVE RISKED THEIR LIVES
IN THIS GREAT ENTERPRISE THE CREWS OF OUR SHIPS AND THEIR
SUPPORT TEAMS, OUR. DIVERS, OUR MEDICAL TEAMS AND OUR
EXCHANGE PERSONNEL., ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE ADF WHO HAVE
HELPED TO SUPPORT THEM, AND OF COURSE THEIR FAMILIES AND
LOVED ONES LEFT AT HOME. 5485
3.
WE ARE PROUD OF THE SKILL THAT OUR SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN HAVE
SHOWN, WHICH HAS OFTEN WON FOR THEM THE PRIVILEGE OF DOING
DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS TASKS. THEY HAVE DONE HONOUR TO
THEMSELVES, TO THEIR SERVICE, AND TO THE NATION.
WE IN TURN HONOUR THEM. WE REJOICE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN
SPARED CASUALTIES, AND WE HOPE THAT WE CAN WELCOME THEM
SAFELY HOME SOON.
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