11" ZIWS RELEASE
NQ9 DATE
M/ 13 6 Feb'riary 1974
PRIMEMINISTER'S VISIT TO BURMA
The following is the text of an address given by the
Prime M'inister, Mr Whitlam, at a dinner given in his honour by the
Chalirman of the Revolutionary Council o~ f the Socialist Republic of
the Union of Burma, U Ne Win, in Rangoon on 5 February 1974.
" Although this is not my first-visit to the Socialist Republic
of the Union of B-. rma, I come here on this occasion as the first
Australian Prime Minister to visit your country. In so doing, I
acknowledge with gratitude -the warm arid generous welcome accorded
to my -wife and me, and to our party.
We look forward, Mr Chairman, to welcoming you and your
gracious wife to Australia. I hope these visits will serve as the
basis for further fruitful development in the range and nature
of the relationship between our two countries. I believe there are
grounds for confidence that, because we now share more common
interest than we did before, there will emerge a more intimate and
substantial relationship between Australia and Burma.
For our part, we are seeking to chart a new course for
Australia in its relations with the countries of Asia. By adopting
a more independent Australian stance in international affairs, by
striving to turn Australia away from a military orientation in its
relations with South-East Asia and by trying to remove the stain of
racialism from our policies, we hope to achieve for Australia a new
standing as a distinctive, tolerant and co-operative nation9 not
only in Asia but in the world.
In support of these objectives we have shifted the emphasis
of our continuiLng involvement in Asia, and especially in South-East
Asia, from one dominated by 7ideological distinctions and military
alliances to one based more on encouraging security through regional
co-operation, on facilitating trade with our near neighbours on a
mutually benef-icial basis, and on promoting economic development
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through constructive aid programs where these are wanted and where
our own resources and skills can be usefully applied. Wae see a
greater range of contacts through tourism9 education and culture.
Such contacts, we believe, will contribute significantly to
furthering our understanding of one another. I also believe that
ministerial and parliamentary visits, like those exchanged recently
between Australia and Burma, are of grea t value to both of us, an~ d I
would hope to see such v isits extended.
I stress that we do not seek to impose any unwanted culture
or alien forms upon our friends. Nor do we seek to provide economic
assistance where this is not welcome or useful. While we desire
to live more intimately with Asia than. we have in the past, we accept
that in many ways the extent and nature of this new relationship is
not ours alone to determine, because we seek to retain our own
freedom of choice and to develop our own in~ depen~ dence and
distinctiveness, we appreciate the aspirations of others to do the
same. In coming to Burma at this time I apprerolate that you are in
the middle of an election an historic election consequent upon the
introduction of a new cons titut ion,-. I am aware that the introductian'
of the constitutioni and the consultations with The people in the
course of the drafting process represent the culmination of your
long-held aspirations for the evolution of a form of government -i
Burma suited to the needs of the country and its people and that for
more than two years it'has imposed a heavy ' burden on you and yo-ui'
ministers. I congratulite you on the successful outcome of the
national referend= u on the constitution held last December. Irn
the same month there was a referendum in Australia on constitutional
changes. I may say, sir, that I envy you in the success you achie-vedi
in your referendum0
Australians have long admired the way Burma has maintained itsi
independence by its owni efforts and by the skill, determination and
spirit of stu-rdy self-reliance which have enabled you to negotiate
your w! ay through so many difficulties created by the interference ofI
outside countries in the affairs of the region. We have not~ lced
that in the United Nations, and in other councils, Burma has sic'Ken.
eloquently of its opposition to imperialism, colonialism, nuclear
weapons testing, racial discrimination. and apartheid. You-have
stressed the fundatentaL importance and here I quote Your
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distinguished Foreign Minister " of promoting the progressive
establishment of and a universal respect for the role of law".
These are all matters on which my Government, too, has deep
convictions. They are matters in which my Government has taken
important policy initiatives in the past year.
I believe Australia and Burma share a number of common
objectives in our immediate region. We seek to avoid destructive
confrontations and to bring about constructive co-operation. We
hope to see evolve, in time, a truly regional ccmmunity without
ideological overtcnes and free of great power rivalries. We seek
a durable peace in South-East Asia in partnership with other nations
of the region. I understand the name " Rangoon" is derived from
Burmese words meaning " end of strife". Our goal, indeed, is a
South-East Asia free from strife. It will no doubt take time to
achieve that goal and the rest of'our common objectives in the
region and elsewhere. In the meantime, however, I look to tne
consolidation of our bilateral relat. ons, believing that such
consolidation will bring us closer to the realisation of our wider
goals and aspirations.
I am happy to have your assurances of the usefulness of the
Australian aid program in Burma. There will be an annual inrcrease
in the size of that program. The Australian Government has pledged
itself to increase the level of its financial development assistance
to .7 per cent of gross domestic product by the end of the decade.
We also intend to increase the percentage of our aid given through
multilateral programs. Burma's developing relationship with the
World Bank and the Asian Development Bank means that in this area
also we will be able increasingly to contribute to Burma's prcGrras
for economic development.
I give these assurances in the full awareness that t" Cre ; il
be new claims on Australia, especially from the emerging cc:.' r:-s
of the South Pacific area, and that shortages of energy ar.
will raise uncertainties about the economic and financia-
Australia and Burma are both rich in natural resources, n
the happy position of having full national control over
My Government faces the urgent task of progressively
over the development of Australia's mineral resources
of' which are now owned by foreign companies. At the same time we
are developing policies for the balanced development of our resources
and to control their sale in accordance with our national interests
in a world where energy is scarce.
Mr Chairman, I have deeply appreciated the frank and fruitful
discussions we have had during my visit. I believe we have
established that there are opportunities for growth and development
in many aspects of our relationship. Especially I would hope to see
positive development in the areas of trade, aid and cultural
contacts. Australians have much to learn from the rich cultural and
philosophical heritage that belongs to our near neighbours, by
learning mor e about this heritage we will be better placed to gain
from it, so that our perception of the needs and interests of these
countries will be deepened and enlarged. My Government will do all
it can to promote the flow of ideas and experience from the ancient
civilisations of our neighbourhood. My visit to Burma o brief,
yet so memorable will equip us better for that task. I have, had
the opportunity to hear your views and to explain our own J shall
leave with a better understanding of your policies, your -culture and
your people, confident that on the basis of this new'understanding
we will forge a rich, valuable and enduring friendship between our
two countries.