PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J KEATING, MP
DOORSTOP, FAIRBAIRN RAAF BASE
APRIL 1994
E& OE PROOF COPY
J: Mr Keating, what do you hope to achieve on this visit?
PM: Well it is a visit, I think, which pays recognition to the growth of
Thailand and Indo-China, Australia's involvement with the area, and I
thiink the opening of the bridge is going to symbolise Australia's
constructive engagement with this part of South East Asia. I think that
is the main point. Thailand is the second largest ASEAN economy, it
is growing very rapidly and there is much for Australia to do there, and
for Australians to do there. We will be very pleased, I think, to
participate in this piece of primary infrastructure, the Friendship Bridge
between Thailand and Laos. I am also looking forward to going to
Vietnam to renew the contacts I have had there with the Government
and the Prime Minister, to see if, again, we can do further to develop
that economy with Australian companies. And I think the key message
is all this sets Australia up well in the 21st century. That our children
will have the benefit of closer integration with Asia, a more interesting
growing economy in Australia as a consequence, and to be truly part
of the region.
J: ( inaudible)
PM: We are not doing tarmac doorstops on budget deficits.
J: What about on federal interventions into ALP factional brawls?
PM: About the trip, anything else?
J: ( inaudible)
2
PM: Yes, I will. But again, as I have said many times we put our views on
human rights clearly and forthrightly, but we also want to maintain
relationships with these countries and that is to see them as total
relationships, and I think that has proven to be a successful policy and
I will be pursuing that here on this visit.
ENDS