PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J KEATING MP
JOINT DOORSTOP WITH THE GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE
VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST PARTY DO MUOI AT THE KILORI
CONFERENCE CENTRE, TANNUM SANDS, QUEENSLAND,
3 AUGUST 1995
E& OE PROOF COPY
PM: I would like to say that we are delighted to have the General Secretary
of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Do Muoi, and to say that what we
seek with Vietnam is not a relationship, but a partnership. And that
partnership with the General Secretary has come in a very vigorous
visit. He has visited the ACT, Victoria, NSW and now Queensland. We
are looking at areas of co-operation between us, and ways we might be
able to help Vietnam develop. Vietnam is a country of 70 million
people, has just joined ASEAN, it has just exchanged Ambassadors
with the United States, joined the Community of Nations in the Asia
Pacific it now needs the help of countries like Australia to integrate
fully in the community of nations around here. So today, of course
you know Vietnam is rich in bauxite we have been looking at bauxite
and alumina. The General Secretary has also looked at
telecommunications, of which, of course, we have a very large
presence in Vietnam with Telstra. And we are looking at other aspects
including tourism aspects today. Tourism is another great
opportunity for the Vietnamese economy. So, I am delighted that the
General Secretary made the visit to Australia for such a high-ranking
person to have come, we are very greatly honoured, and I hope that
this will lead to other cooperation between us.
DM: First of all, I would like to thank the Honourable Prime Minister for
inviting me to visit Australia. Also, I would like to say... .( inaudible). . for
the attention given to my people, and most of all to you, I would like to
convey our friendship from the Vietnamese people to the Australian
people. ( The Secretary General says that for himself) and other
members of the delegation.. .( inaudible). . this visit is one of the longest
visits we have made we find Australia a peaceful country and you
have not any wars for hundreds of years which is contrary to our
situation. We are desirous ( inaudible)... . for peace. Australia is also a
very rich country the people are leading a happy life. And I have
found all sorts of" friendships from Australia, especially towards
Vietnam. There have been ups and downs in our history, but history is
history. I believe from now on, between us, that we will always have
eternal friendship.
I came to visit the Honourable Governor General, I had working session
with the Honourable Prime Minister, and with the different Ministers.
And everywhere where we have been pleased to find friendship and
cooperation. .( inaudible) most thankful to the Honourable Prime
Minister and the people of Australia. We know that Australia has
helped Vietnam people all the way. Yesterday I had a meeting with the
Trade Union organisation. ( inaudible).... They supported our anti-
American War and they are continuing to support us in our professional
reconstruction. We are grateful ( inaudible) of projects which are very
efficient. This time the Australian Government has signed an
agreement with us to assist us in building a huge bridge. This is one of
the biggest projects so far in Vietnam worth $ 70 80 ' million. And the
Australian Government has also assisted us in making economic zones
in the South, and also assistance is coming in the form of personnel
training in health care and we highly appreciate the activities carried
out by the Fred Hollows Foundation, which is assisting Vietnam in
treating cataracts. It is an activity of high significance to the lives of the
Vietnamese people, because many Vietnamese people have eye
problems. .( inaudible).... We are grateful to Australia for this project,
and we will speed up the necessary procedures so that projects can
soon be put into operation to bring about bright eyes to the people.
Apart from the non-refundable assistance, the Australian Government
personified by his Honourable the Prime Minister has decided to lend
us ( inaudible)... During my visit I have met with business people here,
and we had discussions on multi-.. corporations possibilities. We want
to do the metalurgy, we want to produce electricity and new fertiliser in
cooperation with Australia. We want to do the telecommunications with
Australia as well. In short, we are very poor and we want to do
everything. In particular, we would like to do the dairy and the meat
production and sugar cane production with Australia because Vietnam
is extremely poor after the War and the livelihood of the people is very
low. 50 per cent of the children are undernourished. The main task of
the Vietnamese leadership is to improve the livelihood of the people
and to fight malnutrition among the children. One of the main purposes
of the visit to Australia is to visit the meat, dairy and sugar cane
production. In principle, the Prime Minister and the other leaders of the
Australian Government ( inaudible) support it by the business groups
here. They have shown their readiness and willingness to do that and
while we are considering the.. action. Your heart is already there.
What you need from us is to streamline the cumbersome procedures.
Now I can say my visit to. AUstralia is highly successful and what is best
of all is the friendship between our two countries Vietnam and
Australia. That can serve as the groundwork to develop our multilateral
cooperation and to materialise our cooperation and friendship we need
long lasting peace and stability. We need to be rid of war in our region.
We need to eliminate ail kinds bf nuclear weapons from the region. We
need to eliminate the weapons of mass destruction from this region.
We need to join the struggle so that forever as we build stability,
friendship, cooperation and development in our region. Thank you.
J: General Secretary do you feel snubbed by the boycott of your visit by
the Leader of the Opposition, John Howard?
DM: It is quite normal. Now, well, he may have some other business.
He has sent his representative. Well in a welcome to you, I would like
to send my greetings. I hope that there will be only friendship between
us. I haven't had anything to say with the Vietnamese community here
because of many reasons. There are tens of thousands of Vietnamese
who have come here for a living. We thank the Prime Minister, the
Government of Australia and the people of Australia for helping the
Vietnamese people both in living and working conditions. We have
asked our compatriots who are living here to fulfil all the obligations of
the citizens of the country and at the same time in my country they can
enjoy their rights. We also advise that we offer to contribute what
needs to achieving greater prosperity and happiness to Australia and
they must work harder to have better lives and send their children to
school so they that can have an excellent education. This is one of the
best conditions under which you can give your children a good
education. ( inaudible) They can make some contribution to the
reconstruction of the country of Vietnam after decades of war and we
also advise them to unite with each other and respect the local laws.
J: [ inaudible]
PM: Vietnamese people in Australia and in Vietnam say that, I think,
Australia wants a partnership with Vietnam that we want to be able to
help the Vietnamese people. We want good people to people
relationships. We know the War has cost them, not only their liberty for
so long, but also their standard of living. Unfortunately, they have lost
much of the opportunities the rest of us have had. We would like to
help them catch up as quickly as they can. Thank you.
J: Prime Minister, just before you go, ( inaudible) the State election
outcome in Gladstone?
PM: I don't think so. I mean I had a most friendly welcome yesterday at the
Graingrowers Council not a traditional Labor spot. I had a very
friendly reception provided for me here in Gladstone yesterday. So I
think that, no, I don't think the press should take up the urban myth, the
panaceas, which have been put about by the spin doctors. I am finding
relations in Queensland are as good as they have ever been.
ends