PM Transcripts

01 CZECHOSLOVAKIA_
COMMENTS BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR JOHN GORTON
FEOLR EISINANRADIO 22 AUGUST 1968
I want to talk to you tonight about a matter which, though
it does not immediately impinge on the Australian people yet is of great
moment to them and to other free peoples throughout the world.
At approximately eight o'clock yesterday morning, Canberra
time, large forces of Russian troops, together with forces from other
satellite nations crossed the borders of Czechoslovakia in force against
the wishes of the Czechoslovakian Government and while most of the
citizens of Czechoslovakia were asleep. By the time morning came, they
were in military occupation of the country.
The Russian Charg6 d'Affaires called on me this morning
in order to present me a message, the gravamen of which was that
these Russian troops and other troops had entered Czechoslovakia at the
request of the Czechoslovakian Government.
On behalf of the Australian Government, I informed him
that I found this impossible to believe, and impossible to believe
particularly in view of the protests of the Czech Foreign Minister and
of the broadcasts from Prague indicating clearly, before the broadcasting
station was overrun, that this invasion was against the wishes of the legal
Czechoslovakian Government.
I said that I beliewd that the Australian Parliament and the
Australian people would share my disbelief. I asked him to convey to the
Russian Government this feeling on behalf of my Government, and I asked
him also to express to the Russian Government the distress and the
revulsion which my Government felt at -this action by the U. S. S. R.
This, I was told, is the message that would b. e conveyed.
The Parliament of Australia will be debating this matter
tonight, and while a Parliamentary motion may be a frail weapon to set
against the tanks and tommy-guns of the invaders, nevertheless, there
has been a message from the Parliament of Czechoslovakia before it
was overthrown, asking for the mobilisation of support from parliaments
and peoples throughout the rest of the world. This we are trying to do.
NOTE: The PM undertoolk this recording at the request of TV
and radio stations, to provide them with the substance
of his comments in Parliament this morning.