"") IMIE MITTISTEIR
FOR PRESS 10 February 1976
ADDRESS AT A PRIVATE LUNCH FOR DR WALDHEIM
I would like to welcome Mr Waldheim to Australia. It is
years since Australia has been honoured by a visit from the
Secretary-General and I hope that it will not be another
years until the Secretary-General, present incumbent or his
successor I do not know how long his ambitions go into the
future comes here again.
The Secretary-General's job is obviously a very difficult one.
It requires many skills and it, requires a broad philosophy.
He has to be able to get on with people with. many different
ideologies and attitudes and with many different approaches to
the-solution of problems around the world. The Secretary-
General has filled the post with great distinction in difficult
times. He has emphasised the need for governments to resolve
conflicts by discussion and that is something that we would
certainly all applaud. It is unfortunate that only too often,
governments seem to find other ways of attempting to resolve
conflicts. The United Nations has a very real role in-showing
that there is an alternative way. It involves countries in
the world great or small, in substantially fundamental changes
in attitudes. This involves something that cannot be
accomplished in five years. It takes long periods.
The world and the United Nations are going through a difficult
period and the United Nations is often hampered by great power
conflicts. Obviously if the interests of the great powers of
J. AUTAL I( A 1
WaldheiiL LuLuheon Address ( continued) 10 February
the Soviet Union and the United States are involved, or other
major poweis, the capacity of the United Nations to act is
limited. However, some still bell3ve that power is the only
way to resolve problems between nations. The fact that the
United Nation's o. wn power is limited, obviously sometimes
makes it harder for it to have its view accepted or understood
by people who might be involved in disputes. If a qreat power
has an interest in a particular question it has, historically,
proved very difficult for the United Nations to move effectively
in that particular area.
For the United Nations to work as effectively as many would. want,
would involve some willingness to accept the activities of the
United Nations in particular the decisions or recommendations
of the United. Nations. I think great powers have often shown no
willingness td accept recommendations or decisions if their own
interests are affected while the smaller countries mright often
find that they have no choice. To this extent, there is 0
difference a.-distinction in what the United Nations. . can do
in relation to the small compared to the large countries of the*
world. Pre-eminently I believe we should seek to work so that
the United Nations does become a more effective influence in
the protection of the smaller powers. Some people suggest
that events that have occurred in recent years, such as Detente,
have resulted in a more peaceful and a more settled world. The
events in the Middle. East, or Angola, do not really seem,
however, to have shown a marked benefit from Detente.
Australia values very much, the role of the United Nations. I
believe that we have contributed to its workings, its
humanitarian assistance programmes and its funds. We have given
support, in material terms, for peace keeping operations. My
Government will want to continue this support for the United
Nations wholeheartedly. This morning, the Secretary-General
mentioned to the Foreign Minister and myself, some areas v. here
he felt that Australia's influence could usefully be applied Februarv 1976
in helping to overcome some of the problems that the United
Nations faces. We will be willing to accept some of these
suggestions from the Secretary-General and that is something
I know he will keep in mind. We wish tc make a real
contribution to the solution of world problems including those
in our own region. Although we will be concentrating more-in
our immediate arena, where there is a possibility of Australia
making a contribution in a wider fowrm we stand ready to do
that. We are a rich country in natural resources and I
believe that this imposes some international obligations upon
US.
We will continue to support the principles and purposes of the
United Nations Charter. We wish the Secretary-General well in
his exacting and sometimes frustrating role. We certainly
wish him all the best for tho future and are grateful for
his coming here for this visit and I would ask you all to join
me in the toast to the Secretary-General.