T2EL4:. Sep. 92 19: 33 No. 023 P. 01/ 05
PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER, THERION P J MEATING NMP
DOORSTOP, AUSI-345 SOUYK CHNA SEA, 24 SEPTEMBER 1992
E& OE PROOF COPY
J: Prime Miristcr, are you hoping to get an endorsement fromn Singapore for a Heads
of Ciovernment Summit meeting In Jakarta?
PM I've had a very eniwouraging reply, and as you know. Singapore has flioc i
nomninated as thv bcaidquarters for the institution of APEC. So I will be telling
PrimeC Minister Goh of my discussions with Prime Minister Miyazawa of Japan,
and the fact that I think that the whole initiative is gaining somne momentumi and
that they may discuss the issue further with their-A SEAN partncrs.
7: I guess it would be impottant to havc a memiber of ASEAN Come out with a more
firm commitment towairds a Heads of Government aspect uf APEC?
PM-Therell be fttrther discussions with ASEAN and of course President Soeharto will
be seeing Prime Minister Miyazawa this very week. So it will be reasotiably well
discussed. Is it rno~ ing along faster than you expected?~
PM. Again, we haven't " et a deadline on it but it will be a bctter institution and better
for Australia to be in an organisation that's got real political power.
i You must be happy with the sort of momemnu of things being developing of its
own accord.)
PM: That's one Issue. but I'm very happy with the Japin leg of the trip in particular. T
think that I'v'e established an even closer workin$ relationship with Prime Minister
Miyazawa and other leaders in Japan. And we've consolidated many of the issues
between us, trade issues and regional issues, and f look forward to be able to do
the samne thin$ in Singapore with Prime Minister Goh and other Singaporean
leaders, and to advance some of the issues between us here as well.
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I Do' yoki think it's entirely proper f0r the heads of foreign corporations to becomle
directly, inolved in Autralittn political issues'
P M. I've been in politics for a quarter of i century, nearly, and it's nev-er restrained any
of them
I Y'ou'd have to discount some of their comments, thoueh, as commercially
PM. That', for companies to make their decisions about. It's not for me to particularly
be vetfing or commenting on their remarks.
3. There's one extremely important comment that we ried to get from Y'ou of course,
and that i--yso ur prediction for the Grand Finals this weekend. Let's start wvith the
most important onie, West Coast ' VelSMS GeelOtig,
PMA. That's Lin easy ( 7oritest for me, I'm on Geelong, I think Geelong will take that out.
it's a good side Oeelong, it's done. well right through the competition and I'd like to
see it do well and win the flag.
1: In Sydncy?
PM: In Sydney, much as my Canterbury-Bankstown background will permit me I think
I'd haive to be barreteking for St George against Brisbane. So we'll see what
happens, but of course we'll be back probably just too late for all that.
J: Is that a political or a league judgement?
PMI It's a tribal judgement. tribal.
J. Thank you Keating-san.
erids T2EL4: . Sep. 92 19: 33 No. 023 P. 02/ 05