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PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P. J. KEATING MP
INTERVIEW WITH LINDA MOTTRAM AND DEBBIE WHITMONT, ABC
RADIO NOVEMBER 1995
E& OE PROOF COPY
PM: Yitzhak Rabins life was a life that mattered. So it was a very, I think,
moving ceremony to recount his life and some very moving things said
including by K( ing Hussein of Jordan, by President Mubarak, by
members of his staff and family and I hope that his untimely death will,
if anything, spur the peace process along.
J: It Is a high price to pay for pursuing a political policy that you believe
in. I wonder what you think as a leader yourself and also what you
think in terms of world politics, that it has to come to that. Is that
something that goes through your mind?
PMV: I think anyone who Is a democrat knows that there is an attendant risk.
But, you do meet people and you must meet people because, for all
democrats, the life source Is from the public, its from the people, and if
one gets to the point where you don't have that free association, you
can't pick up the bloom from the community, you can't pick up the
buoyancy and the authority whiich a democrat must have. So, I
understand very well what his life and, I think, what his attitude about
that was. How he would have lived his life in this respect. But, of
course, on the evening that he died he had, I'm told, a very successful
rally for peace in what has been a very controversial debate here in
Israel. So, he had a very clear manifestation and some jubilation and
joy at the reception he had been given and it was at the end of that, of
course, he was murdered, he was assassinated. So, he would have
had a charge from knowing that on his most important mission that
there was great support, a crowd of 100,000 or more had turned out to
support him.
I think it may be too that Israeli's will reflect on their own political
process and that the rabid and unprincipled attacks upon him, the
extreme views put against him have created a climate which has
produced his death and it may make people here reflect about that-
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That they have to conduct their debate in more moderate terms, more
sensibly.
J: How does it affect your view of Australia and Australia's role in the
world?
PM Australia is blessed because it shares a continent with nobody and it is
a very large nation which has, essentially, been held in trust for us by
the Aboriginal people and which we have now developed as a united
country. When you see old places sharing civilisations and borders
and where old hatreds have been around for a long time Otfortunately,
has been not our lot
J: Can I just ask you also about the issue that is running in Australia
regarding John Howard. He has suggested that you have dealt with
this situation, in terms of his inability to be here, in an improper
fashion, what is your response to that?
PM: I wouldn't for a second diminish Yitzhak Rabin's life or in any way seek
to trivial ise his tragic death by a debat6 about some of the
meanderings of Australian politics. The important thing was, I think,
that Australia should be represented to honour the life of a significant
person who really made a difference in a country that has always
struggled. Arnd that representation can only be by the Australian
Government. Thank you.
ends ~ 1i
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