PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P. J. KEATING MP
DOORSTOP, HMY BRITANNIA, LIMASSOL, FRID) AY, 22 OCTOBER 1993
E& OE PROOF COPY
J: Was it a friendly meeting?
PM: I've never had anything but the most friendly and cordial meetings with
the Queen ever. As you know I hold her n the highest regard and I
always enjoy her company as we all had the privilege of enjoying her
last night.
J: What did you make of her speech last night?
PM: I thought it was an entertaining speech, but it also shows I think, that
Her Majesty is herself making her own commentary on the changes
which have occurred in the Commonwealth in the last 40 years, as she
did last night. And also making everyone aiware that she understands
it is a continuing dynamic and that the cha3nge she has seen is only
evidence of the fact that there will be more change and that she
understands and can accommodate those changes.
J: Do you see it as a public affirmation of your Balmoral discussions?
PM: I thought in a sense she was as she authorised me to say there, she
herself then was saying last night something similar. That is, countries
have constitutional discussions, she wished the nation the best in
those debates taking no particular side in them and saying that the
monarchy has in respect of these things, the Constitutional Monarchy
has a certain position, entirely certain of its position and that countries
should in their own interests go and have these debates.
J: Did those remarks give you encouragemrent for heading Australia
towards a republic?
PM: It is not a matter of any encouragement, it is the Queen as
Constitutional Monarch defining what she ; ees as changes or possible
changes and drawing on the evidence of change over the 40 years of
her realm. As she was saying, one wouldn't have believed in 1955 or
1953 for instance that a CHOGM meeting would be here for instance
in Cyprus. Or she said that Fiji wouldn't be here. She was making
obvious the fact that a lot of changes have already occurred and some
may still occur, that she understands these things.
J: Prime Minister, do you get the feeling that she is comfortable with that
process of change?
PM: I'm not here to reveal any context of any disicussion I have had with the
Queen, but to say that I think Her Majesty understands these historical
changes probably better than any of us talking here at the moment.
ends