I0
N$ K INRVIIEW 22 Septombar 1992 Will be broadcast on 23
September 1992
ROUGH COPY
QLJES11ON: Mr Mrme Minister think you very much for coming here today,
( inaudible) yo~ u have been emphoolsln; that th6-futur. of AuxtTaUIIN
lies In Asia and specifically spakin$ what Is y'ourvision of future
Australla In Asia?
PM: Woll Australia's alretAy subsarntally locked into As[& by way of
trade, 604 of our expiorts So to the region. And invemna between
Australia, Japan for instance is the second largest investor only by a
fraodon could be the lagest investor. In Japan, Australian
companies are invesino more ri~ ht throughout the AsluIMuclfic area,
South Bast Asia in particular as well un some places In North Asia
go by way of Its tradc substantially you know focussed upou tho
Auia/ Pa, ific arep and with to~ irtSM flowl AgaiII mkini that binding
even tighter, Australia Is olie of the principal destinations for
laPAntle touuist$ iad again being more, Austrsliaft tea travel to the
Pie( and the other principal faetors of course we live In the region.
Anitralla has dramatically ( inaudible) border protec~ tion. It's sn open
trading country and its mostly opn to trade with the resion.
QU~ mN
So that's why you Ame visiting bere to Japan and have you gained
much by it?
PM: Well lapans our laxrpat tradinS partner a great source of investmnt
and we รต ' ve developed now a tons term reladoanahip from the early
Wot was years ouwards.
We wera the principal supplius of raw~ materials to Japan w~ lf
Japan war. building It's economy in the G0& and 70s. we as. " h third
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largest source of Imports to hapr this very year so we have a 1l1ng
standitg relatlonship and that relationship Is diversifying and now
hus of eourse many Personulties in It, many people that are
participating in it so there Are great Isdalities of people who
belong to Au~ tru1WaJapad BUsinSt Cooperation CoUnciT s and it hav
now Its own i1ndmnftum.
As well as that we aze joining with Japan~ In such things as P6110
kcepil Forces in Camnbodlg.,. so the relationship is deeply broadening
.11 the time and-It is appropriato for Prime Ministers to meW
accasinnally to discuss issues particularly at time of change.
Now I would like to ask about your views: How do you Set the
activities in Cambodia for which Japan Is going to sezid self doficnca
forces* iooos to Cambodia this coming ftill What do you IO ahout
this'? PA: Wall this is under the hospices of the United Nationx and iho Post
Cold War Rra of the United Nations hu it anything concentrated Its
Imfportance In tome od the reglonal trouble spots whore the overlay
of the suparpowe?% has diminished. And I think this Is in entirely
tespectable posiflon for the VArious COUNrie to tAke particulary SAY
ins the Cambodian context wher we Are Seeking to restore pmae to
that country,
Now. I understand the sensitivbies within Japan of 6mPloymnent Of
Japancie Self Defenc Forces in Any role beyond lapanis shores but
71is ts a cirtumscribo role, It's a definod role. it'. a role imi sare
with other countries Including Aostralia and can I say that we'r
delighted to have the Australian Detence Fores serve jointly,
together, side by side with the Porvis of Japan and I atn qntto SU'.
" ht with tUs exercise which happes to be under the commnand of
an Australian that the task Sivan to AI of us by the Uaited Nations
will be fulfilled and this Ix to leus true of Japa. I = i sure Japan his
doe entily the right thing In beIng thene.
QMI& V1 4
Do you we thon any prospects for hope ur for -peace to be realisod In
that region?
PM, I think that Substantial prospets, I mcan we Wae seen a big change
In the strategic enonm01ent In the region.. but with the atrategic
environinent being now mora benign than It was before the decline
of the old Soviet Empirt but It's also none the less more complex.
benig but more complex 80 countries are deciding their own
postture now that ( sought) of bipolvity of the super powers hasa
diminished somewhat, But I think with the Cambodians Itis.
huportan: jlast for the Cambodin people If not for the region In
gene11ral tft Peace is restated thert, and this could only have a
settliot influenee em the whole ame. go, It's a worthy thing to be
theme and let's hope that both Australia and ] spa as active players
there are doing it well.
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QL'EMfON
Now you have been proposingi that A PVC meetings hould be changbd
from a meatiftg on the miniserial level to political leaders or prime
miniter/ prime ministte' level. Is the group a small group
proposing the qhange?
Well unliko the North Atlantic area there is nn one foram where the
leadors of the Asia/ Pauffic, North Asia, South East Asia. the Witer
Pacific, Eastern Pacific, there Is no on@ forum where leaders am Meat
and talk about issues of subttance. Now one of thosc subjects and of
couras ff140 and economic policie, and Australia first propnoed APEC
a discusiioni point for trade and economic Issues, They have sine.
been adopted and Ito attended at mlalsiorlal 1. vel,., Zt now becoming
insttutinnalixed, the headquafters have been decided to be In
Singapore and it's starting to go at its ingtitjtlonal Pace@ and
strength but I think that Australia's strength& and pae a going to
be Very greatly sthaned by the attendance of the Hea of
GQov. Ument of the constituent countries. So It has Incredible
authority and weight atid mass of weight to be able to not simply
debate things but decide things.
So I think in' the first instance we se a, fair bit of trade libetultaing
force, And the other thin$ I think it dnes. it Iiducees a more ativist
role by thai Ui~ ted Stutni in the Asian Pacific ame because whle@ the
proponderanca of US trade Is in the Pacific abc bulk of its
itietituIdonal armngemexns are in the Atltic and I thinlk i very
Much in the Intuerests of 111 of us in the Pucifi, Japan aspMislly, to
Wae a basis of dilogue where Issues xnd trad& betwwo the Unitzed
States and Japan be discussed and worked out and worked out to the
mutual satisfaction of the rest at us in the are& So it would serve
that Purpose nd the otber thins Is havieS the Influence in a libefil
democracy lie the United Stateg actively Involved ini ths would be a
good thins as Wall.
So I thinik APIC has come of ale at te Forum aiid ta reaka It even
more effective . representstI94 of the constituent countries and Ilsad
of Glovemment periodically will I tinuk do a great daal to enhance Its
society. As Our largest trading partner, we would like to atk about the
JapwA~ nldsai* relationships. Japan his boen undergoing deep
recession lately lad Japan is not investing as miuch us it used to In
your country so what will you exput of Japana?
PM: This may lentrally be true about Investment but we ine seeing now
a couple of very & Sgnificsat Investmnnis inith e minufaetuting
industry. 7u Toyota Motor Company Is now JUst Investing. in the
COurse of Investing nearly $ 750 Million In a state of the art Motor
plant In Auatralia And Mltshishi Corpoadi is considering now
spenading another $ 600 million which by Intarnatioual stazdards is a
large Investment.
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So the character of the investment It ch. mglng where In the late 801
It was in roil estate and tourist talatod vtnturos an~ d consmtruton,
ml. s is Isis true today but we are teeing now a shift to someo
substantial Investment in manufactwiog which we regard It as a
good thing.
Given the facE that soms of the products will feed the Intentational
distribution system fat those particular companies. Japan's growth Is
slow at the m1onlont, but I took tho opporwdty to congratulate 1ho
gOvernment Of JaPan On Its physical pakage. Which is I think both
tImely aond courageous, over 2* 6 of GDP is a very large package by
your Govermeint. and It om~ es I think at the right time$ for the
Japanese and the world economy to r am hoping It w', I1 do as your
Government thinks It will dO.. thal'i lift nativity In Japan and At Cho
SAMn time lift activity In the world because Japan is now such a large
player In the world economy.
QUEMfON:
Excuse me when you say million dollar# YOU mean Australian
dollars? PM: Sorry,. no for all Intents and purposes just say dollars because while
A$ 700 million aout UjSSoo mille.
Thank you.
Now with regard to~ the now Movement of Japan in Asia, there w*
Some voices that call for Japan, some people. are saying JSp* 1
should be noutin~ tod as a Permanent mfmber of te UN Secuiity
Council.. What do you think about thiS?
PM: Well. we Agree with that.. We're umotng Japan and ii IsObvious to
the Security Council. We think that JaPan can Play and Should play I
larger lnternatlonsl role, and a Security Council place Is In koepial
with the size of J& pui in the world cconomy and Its Influaence on
World AttafS, SO we think the Governumnt of Japan Is ovwing the
cornot policy In lifting gradually, but clearly lifting Japa'.
iternational involvemniot In world affairs and given that the Vnit,*
Nations arm now applying an even greater role then it wu befor the
end of the cold war. 1111is a ntniely Sensible thin$ for JAPan t6 be
doing to secure a Seat at the Security Council and In that it will have
Australia's support,
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Now tho last question is abnpt the Urzrn~ a, round OArr. Do you
think Itisi possible for the roucnyi to be co mpletely
. WZccafui by the end of this 3Y1r
PM; Well I think It has lead to time at the moment, because It to
Somewhat comnplicated by elections around the world. It's important
for It to be co~ ncluded successfully.
I think Itis very Importsnt. Because I think the psychological value
of the & ucceqifN1 c0clusion of the round will do many great thing$
for the tpads slivironment and a lot of the., what we so* is apparent
movemnt towards bilaterallamn may diminish when people
understand there are, very nice International overlay or backdrop t0
world trade
So It Is linportan to too it completed. toe stallitig point has bcen on
alriculture in which Australia has a keen intefest, but the basis of
the Argument is one between. iurgeiy the E! uropemns and the United
States about agricultural subsfdka. T! hore'i an Issua for Japan In
here u. wall and its the tarrifficatloo Issue In respect of rice.
That'll be a difficul; issuo for you but the benefits of the round will
so outweigh any concessioo lsau may provide in this area to to
make a Succssuful completion to the round very much in All of our
Interolls amt particularly Japan which has a very large spac in an
open free muldisaeral home envlrontnent.
ENDS
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