NQ DATE
M/ ll 1 February 1974
EMBARGO: Not to be used in any form
before 5.30 p. m. Canberra time
1 February 1974
PRIME MINISTER IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA:
ADDRESS TO THAI-AUSTRALIA ASSOCIATION
The following is the text of the Prime Minister's
address to the Thai-Australia Association in Bangkok today,
1 Februiary 1974.
" I have had many occasions in Australia and overseas to
stress, not just the change of policies of the new Australian
Government, but the continuity within that change. Continuity
' within change ~ is one of the themes of this current journey. Its
re-assertion is one of the purposes of this visit. The relations
between Thailand and Australia perfectly illustrate that theme.
Thailand itself is a spendid example of national
continuity within change, and of change within continuity and
never more truly than in this crucial time in Thailand's long
history, a time when men and women of goodwill around the world
are drawing new hope, new encouragement, from the events in our
region. Change of quite revolutionary dimension has been the very
essence of the recent history of our region. One has only to
consider that less than 30 years ago, of the six nations on my
current itinerary, Thailand alone was independent. Or consider that
in the great area from the old north-west frontier of India to the
shore of the south west Pacific an area containing nearly a
quarter of the world's people Thailand and Australia alone were not
under colonial rule. This is one measure of the scope of change we
have lived with and are still living with. The yearning for true
national independence, for national dignity, which called this vast
change into being is still the most powerful force in our region.
That spirit has preserved the national identity and independence
of Thailand for 700 years. It is the sort of spirit which the
Australian Government brings to its own affairs and to Australia's
relations with its neighbours, its friends and its allies. We have
tried to understand the aspiration of others as we wish others to
try to understand our own aspirations.
The Governments of both our countries have changed
relatively recently. Of course we have both changed many of our
policies. Ve are both striking out on new paths. But in both
nations there is also a basic continuity of policies. Certainly in
the case of Australia most publicity has naturally been given to the
changes, to the new directions. Yet it cannot be stressed to much
or too often that there is a basic continuity in the conduct of
Australian affairs.
Many of our decisions have been responses to developments
in the relations between the great powers. We have tried to adapt
promptly and intelligently to the new realities, particularly in
our region. In some matters, such as normalisation of relations
with China, we have been able to move more rapidly than some of our
neighbours, including Thailand, but there can be no mistaking the
dir ection events are leading us all. V~ hile developing new relationsnot
just with China but in Africa and Latin America and Eastern
Europe we have strengthened old friendships as well. This is very
much the case with Thailand.
We don't believe it is good enough that Australia should
regard countries like Thailand and her A.:: an partners merely as
some sort of military buffer placed by geography for Australia's
convenience. We have defence arrangements with such countries.
We continue to: but we want them to be viewed in the perspective
of our total relation with the region. Far from losing interest in
Thailand, the fact is that there has never been greater mutual
interest and wider exchanges between the two countries than there
is now. This interest is growing on both sides. Australia
attaches great importance to the continuing well-being of an
independent and forward-looking Thailand, a Thailand playing an
active and cooperative role in the region and adjusting its
policies skilfully to the developing international situation.
Australia and Thailand are expanding their cooperation
in all fields. More Australians than ever before are coming to
3.
Thailand in my own case this ism ighth visit in the last
fourteen years. Many Thais have stud-*' ed in Australia and more will
come in the future. This cooperation has developed steadily over
nearly 30 years, since Australia established a mission in Thailand.
That mission was one of the first Australian posts to be opened in
South-East Asia. A high point in the development of our relations
was the visit to Australia in 1962 of their Majes-ties the King and
Queen of Thailand. We have aiso been greatly honoured that his
Royal Highness the Crown Prince is furthering his educatIon in
Australia. Australians and Thais have for twenty years been
cooperating in the development of Thailand. A number of joint
projects are being undertaken in different areas of the country
through the Australian aid program. Consultations have recently
taken place between officials of our two governments on another
important and innovative project. Through the efforts of
HRH the Princess Mother, voluntary medical units have been set up
in many provinces to improve health services for people in outlying
areas. However, due to difficulties of communication, medical
treatment is not readily available to large numbers of people in
remote areas a similar situation to that in Australia which led
to the creation of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. I am happy to
announce that, in response to a request from the Government of
Thailand, the Australian Goverrment will support the Princess
Mother's Pioneering Medical Volunteers project by providing
ambulances and radio transceivers. We hope that a pilot project
to determine the exact requirements of the communications network
will proceed in the near future. As a further example of
cooperation, Prime Minister Sanya and I yesterday decided in
principle on a cultural agreement between our two countries.
Quite recently the Australian Government held discussions
with ASEAN representatives in Bangkok on possible Australian
assistance to ASEAN projects. l~ ight now my colleague, the
Minister for Education, is in Bangkok for the conference of
South-East Asian Ministers of Education Organisation at which we
were represented for the first time as an associate member. We
4.
recently participated for the first time in the Ministerial
Conference for the Economic Development of South-East Asia.
We are cooperating with the M~ ekong Scheme with its headquarters
in Bangkok, which has such great potential as an instrument for
the reconstruction of Indochina. In the wider region, we share
common membership of ECAFE with its headquarters also in Bangkok.
Later on I shall be making reference to SEATO, but I mention these
other matters now to show how far we have moved from a restricted
and restricting concept of our relations as being only, or even
mainly, preoccupied with defence and security. Both our countries
have a well-rounded relationship with each other. Both are anxious
to see that it ripens and matures.
To illustrate this, let me say something of our trade and
economic relationships. There are long established and valued
economic links between Australia and Thailand. Our total trade of
some SA43 million last year is not as large as we would wish, but
it has shown a rapid rise in recent years. For our part, we are
confident that such growth will continue. We recognise, moreover,
that trade must be viewed as a two-way flow. We have taken a
number of initiatives to ensure that countries such as Thailand
will have considerably greater opportunities, and greater
encouragement, to sell to the Australian market. Last year we
reduced all Australian tariffs by 25 per cent. In addition, from
the beginning of this year, we have introduced for the benefit of
developing countries a scheme whereby those countries will receive
additional preferences -in the Australian tariff. We will continue
to increase both the scope of the scheme and the margins of
preference we accord until we are satisfied that the bveloping
countries have achieved a competitive position in the Australian
market. For this purpose my Government is establishing a facilitywithin
the Australian Department of Overseas Trade to provide
market research and to handle trade inquiries for countries such
as Thailand. I invite the Government of Thailand to make use of
it. Let me remind you also that we recognise the importance you
attach to receiving fair and reasonable prices in international
markets for your primary products. Our support in international
forums for the basic justice of such an approach is well known
and will continue.
Next a word about overseas investment. Australia
recognises that in the right circumstances Australian private
investment overseas can make a positive contribution to the
industrial development of the host country. Although Australia
in the past has not been a significant generator of capital for
investment in overseas countries, we expect more activity-in this
area in the future. We believe, however, that every country
should have the right to regulate foreign investment in accordance
with its own national aspirations and social and economic
objectives. It is a right we exercise ourselves in relation to
foreign investment in Australia. For that reason we have recently
announced that we will seek to encourage Australian private
investment overseas only where it is fully welcomed by the host
country, where it will be favourable to the country in which it
is made, and where it will be consistent with advanced labour
relations and local environmental policies.
I have said that Australia and Thailand have a wellrounded
relationship which we want to see ripen and mature, We
are bringing this approach to all our other relationships in the
region. It is by understanding this basic approach that one can
best understand the changes we have made. I can illustrate it
by reference to some of the more notable of our policies.
I mention the United States. We have an important
defence treaty with U. S. and New Zealand but the American alliance
should never have been regarded as thL-e be-all and end-all of
Australia's., defence and foreign policies and it should never have
been viewed solely or principally as a defence association. Yet
there developed in Australia over a generation a tendency to view
all matters beyond our shores through the single narrow focus of
China. What we are now trying to do is widen the range of our
vision not to downgrade the importance of our friendship with
the U. S. but to upgrade the importance of other relationships,
above all in Asia. We believe we are thereby creating a more
mature partnership. And we believe that frankness is the best
basis for friendship. We expect frankness: we intend to be
frank. I should also refer to our relations with Japan. We
are widening them beyond economics alone, important to both
countries as that aspect is. Japan is Australia's biggest
customer: we are Japan's second biggest customer after the
United States. Obviously therefore, Australia's prosperity is.
closely linked with Japan's. We recognise Japan's need for
secure access at fair prices to the raw materials her industries
need, and so much of which Australia can provide. At the same
time, the Australian people want a fair say and a fair share in
the control and use of our own resources, just as the Thai
people recognise that investment and trade relations between.
states not merely the states of our own region must
henceforth take account of the welfare and aspirations of the
peoples of those states and cannot be based solely on business
criteria alone. I come now to China. Australia' s new relations with
China are based on the rejection of the relevance today of the
Dulles concept of military containment of China. The war of
intervention in Viet-Nam was created by that doctrine and
destroyed that doctrine. SEATO itself was originally ihe treaty
expression of the doctrine. Clearly our view of the concept which
gave birth to SEATO influences our view of SEATO's present role.
When we addressed ourselves to this matter on assuming office
14 months ago it was urged upon us that withdrawal by Australia
would damage confidence in the area. With an understanding of
the position of Thailand particularly in mind, and the importance
Thailand attaches to the Manila Treaty, we therefore agreed to
work within the organisation for modification of its operation
and orientation: underpin confidence, yes., underwrite
containment, no. And with the cooperation and agreement of all
members, this is what we have done.
Finally I mention our attitude towards regional
arrangements and associations. Of all those in this region,
ASEAN is unquestionably the most important, the most relevant,
the most natural. Australia does not seek to be a member of
ASEAN, though we have close bi-lateral and regional relationships
with all its members. My present tour takes me to four ASEAN
capitals. With each member country and with Indonesia, our
nearest neighbour, we are developing ever-increasing cooperation
at all levels, including defence cooperation. Australia is
playing a cooperative role in the other regional associations I
7.
mentioned earlier. We are strengthening all our bi-lateral
relations in the region and are seeking new forms of regional
7 cooperation. Increasingly I believe the nations of the Asian
and Pacific region will in the future come to see the need for
a wider forum than presently exists where all who have a common
interest and a common destiny in the region can meet regularly,
quietly and constructively. On this matter I just say two
things here: nobody, least of all me, believes that any new
arrangements will come into being overnight; and secondly,
nobody, certainly not me, believe that any such arrangements
should or could supplant or absorb ASE. AN.
I recognise too that the continuing conflict in
Indochina our hopes of a year ago being still unfulfilled
represents a major obstruction to any plans for new arrangements
in our region. But the need remains, and I believe that
perception of that need will grow and sharpen.
It should be plain therefore that the direction of our
decisions and hopes are outward-looking, regional and truly
international. It is absurd to suggest that Australia is going
isolationist when the whole thrust of our policies is towards
greater international cooperation than ever before, towards
deeper interests in a greater number of nations in every
continent than ever before some of them nations which have
hitherto scarcely made a scratch upon the Australian
consciousness. New interests do not mean a loss or lessening
of old interests. They mean rather a widening of Australian
awareness, a realisation by Australians of their capacities,
their responsibilities and their opportunities. Australia has
not grown weary of international involvement, whatever our
d'isillusionment as a result of Viet-Nam.
That experience, the Viet-Nam experience, when
Australian youth decided no longer to tolerate the intolerable,
just as the youth of Thailand, in a very different context,
did so decisively last October still deeply influenlces our
judgments upon the affairs of this region and
believe we should make to events in this region. n:-
government we would be if our attitudes, declared tr\.' Za
decade when we were powerless to act, were discarded "' c~ cc~
r
we had the power to translate those attitudes into action.
That would have been true unpredictability, true irresponsibility.
Decidedly Australia has not grown weary of being
involved: we have simply come of age. We draw a distinction
between constructive involvement and counter-productive
intervention. I hope that what my Government has been able to
show is an Australian capacity for self-renewal, just as this
ancient kingdom is demonstrating its capacity for renewal and
resilience, for change in a world of change, without rejecting
its traditions but rather involving the very essence of its
national tradition as the instrument of ordered change itself."
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