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PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P. J. KEATING, MP
DOORSTOP KOUION ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE, SUNDAY, 24
OCTOBER 1993
E& OE PROOF COPY
J: Prime Minister, it has been another long day of talking, as we are getting
towards the end of this conference, do you 6un the Commonwealth is any
more or less relevant now than it was at the befinning?
PM: I think it is a very useful body, it is a dispara-1 body drawn from right across
the landscape from the countries of the world and it can play a very useful role.
It does deliver, apart from concentration on issues like South Africa which it
has done effectively and Rhodesia in years gone by, this year the GATT. It has
also focussed attention on things it can do ii: self as a program deliverer of
things like education and health into certain countries and that was the subject
of today's discussions. There is the Commonwealth fund for technical cooperation;
Commonwealth health programs and the some evaluation of the
efficiency of the Secretariat it was an administrative day. But these are the
things, I think, the Commonwealth does and does rather well.
J: How do you feel about the sort of big pictuie demands that people like Dr
Mahathir are calling for Commonwealth interv,. ntion or action of Bosnia. Do
you think there is a role there?
PM: No, the Commonwealth is not a crisis management organisation. That is a role
which is properly with the UN. I think if it tries,. to extend itself into those sorts
of areas, I think it will get into trouble. Now t lere was some of this discussed
yesterday and I made that point, that the Cormmonwealth should pick its mark
and do the things it can do and not try and do the things it is not set up to do. I
know people get distressed about these varioL s situations in various parts of
the world. Indeed here in Cyprus a country which is divided. But, the
Commonwealth can't fulfil that role, but it can c: o other things and it is a matter
of deciding what it can do and what it can't do.
J. o you have majority support Prime Minister, ; 1mongst the -Other leaders'?
PM: I think so, I think that was very broadly reflected yesterday that view about
what the Commonwealth can do and can't do and what it should do. It is an
effective body I think, for certain things, but there is no point in over claiming
for it or over reaching for it because to do that is to transgress upon the field of
other organisations like the United Nations or the World Bank or the IMF. So,
it is a case of the specialised dialogue it can promote and the work it can do
and the programs it can deliver are things of substance and they are important
in they're right and it doesn't have to go doing things which other agencies and
organisations, in fact, are set up to do.
J: Prime Minister in your view, what are the major threads that Commonwealth
leaders will have to pull together in preparatior for the final communique?
PM: I think that is probably all revealed now in terms of the discussion on the
GATT. I think some of the themes which we discussed yesterday that is,
some of the things around the agenda for peace themes run by the UN
Secretary-General and the program delivery issues which we discussed today.
J: Prime Minister, the Queen talked the other day of changing the
Commonwealth. Some of the British papers are now canvassing the idea that
Prince Charles perhaps could become Head of the Commonwealth, what do
you think of that idea?
PM: I have never heard of that idea. I think, tha Queen has managed to keep,
obviously, a personal association with the Commonwealth all these years and
takes the opportunity on every Commonwealth meeting, I think, to meet each
Head of Government and to participate appropriately in the proceedings of the
meetings. So in that sense, I think, she is a unifying and binding element on the
Commonwealth.
J: Do you think she should stay on in that role?
PM: It is not for me to say, nor is it for me to comment on Fleet Street stonies.
J: Do you think it is the sort of job that someonie like Charles would be able to
handle?
PM: I think, Prince Charles is quite competent at whatever he has turned his hand to
in the various things he has taken an interest in, but to say that is to say the
obvious isn't it, rather to endorse him for any role with the Commonwealth.
That is a matter entirely for the Queen herself
J: Prime Minister, the Commonwealth is made up mainly of developing countries.
Is there a danger that there just won't be enough money to keep an Organisation
like this doing the things that the Commonwealth wants to do?
PM: There is always a discussion every meeting about resources and there was a
discussion about resources today. These are in the main -made up, the great
bulk of them are made up by the developed countries and countries are
assessed, but most countries make a contribution. So, the body is well funded
and there has been efficiency reviews in the lasi year or two and the Secretary-
General was talking about those today. So, I don't think resources are a
problem, it is a matter of having it adequately resourced and efficiently
delivering its programs.
J Would you prefer a shorter CHOGM next time perhaps?
PM: I think they could be shorter. T made those remarks today. In fact they meet
every two years, I suggested they could meet every three and probably for
three days rather than five.
J: How did that go down?
PM: I am not sure all that well, but the fact is it had to be said and I said it.
J: Prime Minister, you got a round of applause when you mentioned Mabo
reconciliation in the opening speech, there arc suggestions at home that the
Coalition there are divisions within the Liberal party about the way the
leadership is handling the issue, do you think that the Liberal party and the
leaders specifically, there is an element of racism in their response to Mabo?
PM: That is extreme language, but I think the federal Opposition would be wise to
join the rest of the country in supporting a Ma: oo settlement, a comprehensive
one. I think it is better for the Aboriginal and Islander community of Australia
that such a settlement enjoys the full support of the parliament. But, there is a
lot of interest in it here at CHOGM because I think that countries are interested
in Australia and they are interested to see what we do with our indigenes.
J: Has this been a particularly successful CHOGM in terms of Australia's role and
Australia's interest given the predominance of issues such as GATT and other
things?
PM: We pursue our interests and I think single mindi. dly on the issues that matter to
us, obviously trade at the moment is topical to us and the GATT and we have
pursued that because we think this is a very effective forum to promote a
successful conclusion of the GATT. We hav, 1 a thought through position I
think, on most things and on an agenda such as the one which has been
promoted at this meeting. We have had a position on each and every item. So,
I think we have come well prepared and we take the business of the
Commonwealth seriously.
J: Prime Minister, one more question on rcconciliation and that is the
entombment of the unknown soldier. Dr Hewson has is apparently wishing to
be one of the pall bearers, do you think that wculd be reasonable for him to be
joining you?
PM: I will think about that when I get home, if he says anything about it to me.
J: Prime Minster, you are to meet the Singapore Prime Minister tomorrow, what
do you hope to get out of that and what sort cf subjects are you going to rely
on?
PM: I think mutual trade and investment issues, the politics of the area and also
APEC because Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong is going to Seattle and he will
be interested in APEC and I would be interested in his thoughts about how the
APEC discussion is developing.
J: Would you hope that a person like the Prime Minister of Singapore would act
as an honest broker if you like in further discussions with Dr Mahathir?
PM: I didn't raise ever with him yesterday whether he should go to Seattle or not. If
he goes good, if he doesn't go the meeting will go on and I think be successful.
It doesn't have to be entirely inclusive, people have choices here, so I think we
would like to see Dr Mahathir there, I would, but if he is not there the meeting
will succeed, I think, anyway.
ends