PRIE HINISTER'S TOUR OF SOUTH-EAST ASIA 661/ 067
The following is text of Speech by
Vietnamese Prime hinister Ky and the Australian
Prime Minister, Mr. Holt's reply. 22ND APRIL. 1966
Speech by Prime Minister Ky
On behalf of the Government and the people of Vietnam,
I have the honour of welcoming you to this country.
Your visit of today has a very special significance
since it takes place at a time when we exert ourselves to repel
Communist invasion and build a new society for Vietnam with the
staunch support and assistance of your country especially with
the participation of the gallant Australian soldiers.
It is more than an evidence of friendship, or a reason
for strengthening unity between cur two countries.
Your visit has the value of a pledge a pledge to
stand in the forefront of the cause of justice, freedom and human
happiness. Such a pledge is all the more valuable since it has
come voluntarily, is fostered by a vigilant spirit and motivated
by altruism. The people of Vietnam will never forget what the former
Prime Minister Robert M1enzies once said: " The Republic of Vietnam
is one of the frontiers of human freedomn', and therefore to
abandon that country now would mean a Communist takeover and
imperil neighbouring countries in South-East Asia.
Also, your Excellency, allow me to say that the five
points that you yourself defincu recently concerning the problem
of Vietnam are indicative of the chivalrous spirit of the people
of Australia. The valiant and brave soldiers that Australia has
generously sent here to share the fighting and 1, ictories with us
for the past year and who will be strengthened soon let alone
Australian aid under various other forms are the materialisation
of the ideals I mentioned earlier.
' Je, the Vietnamese people, very highly appreciate such
friendship built on sacrifice and generosity.
, Ve will never betray the friendship of our friends and
allies. With the trauitional and indomitable spirit of the
Vietnamese people, with the resolute determination to win of the
present generation, with the strong support of our allies, we will
fight to repel invasion, tc achieve entire freedom, to give our
people a new and happy life ana also to bring a substantial
contribution to consolidation of world peace.
This, we believe, will be the most efficient way of
showing our gratitude to our friends for their support in this
critical hour of our history.
Speech by Australian Prime Minister,
Mr. Harold Holt
Your Excellency, I am very appreciative of this warm
welcome that you have given me on behalf of the people of your
country. Australia's friendship with your country is well
established and I think you know of our admiration for the gallant
resistance which the people of South Viet Nan have been making
against the Communist aggression which has threatened you for so
many years. have seen this not merely as a resistance in order
to preserve your own national integrity, but we have seen it as a
resistance which is in the interest of a free people, no: t only
throughout South-East Asia but indeed free people throughout every
part of the world.
I For as long as Communist aggression persists, as long
as the Chinese philosophy of Communist domination persists, then
free people everywhere throughout the world will be threatened,
and you have been in the forefront of this resistance.
r e, with the United States which is making such an
enormous contribution for security here, and other allies who are
lending assistance to you are proud that there is an Australian
force and other Australian elements here in your country making
the contribution of which you have spoken in terms of such
appreciation. we hope, your Excellency, that as our enlarged force
reaches your country that we will be able to join with you not
| merely in the military tasks, of overriding importance though they
be, until peace and stability has been restored here, but while
our troops are with you we hope that they will be giving you
assistance also in other important fields of civic administration
S-in health and sanitation, in education, in transport, in road
construction, in a variety of positive and helpful ways which can
enable you or assist you to build that better South Viet Nam
which I know is your own personal aspiration and the objective of
the people of your country.
It is perhaps of interest to your people to realise
how close we have become to each other as a result of the
improvements in modern transport.
To me it is something of a revelation that I could be
answering questions in the House of Representatives in Canberra
yesterday morning up until 11.15 an. here I an the next day in
company with you and able to convey our greetings directly to the
people of your country.
We recognize with you that the tasks ahead here will
be difficult anc. they may be long, but we share your own determination
and resdlution and that of the United States of America, to
see that freedom is preserved in this country and that by tne
force of that example the forces of freedom will be encouraged to
make their own resistance wherever Communist aggression may
threaten. WVe believe that you are performing a great service to
the free people of the world, and I express on behalf of my fellow
countrymen our gratitude and appreciation to you.
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