PM Transcripts

FOR PRESS: P. M. No. 211969
AUSTRALIAN FORCES IN MALAYSIA-SINGAPORE
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr John Gorton
On 19 November, I announced in Parliament that Australia
had decided in principle to maintain forces in Malaysia and Singapore
until the end of 1971,
Since then technical consideration of the detailed
implementation of this " in principle" decision has continued. This
having been concluded, Australia and New Zealand have now indicated
to Malaysia and Singapore their firm willingness to maintain Naval, Air
and Army Forces in the area.
It is planned that two Australian squadrons of Mirage
aircraft will be based at Butterworth with a detachment in Singapore
and that an Australian Naval element will continue to be stationed in
Singapore. At an appropriate stage during the British withdrawal from
Terendak, the Australian and New Zealand Army contingents will move
to Singapore, with a detachment stationed at Butterworth.
A full statement on these matters will be made when
Parliament resumes. In the meantime any reports on the disposition of forces
after the end of 1971 are pure speculation; this is a matter which
remains under discussion between Governments.
CANBERRA, 3 January 1969