-' MAG UNTIL
-DELIVREPD -Commonwealth Heads of Government
Ron Meeing
Address by the Prime Minister of Australia,
the Rt*. Hon.* Malcolm Fraser, C. H., f M. P
Atth6& Hilton notel S dey, ? londa 13 February,
on the Occasion of the Opening of the
CommnwelthHeads of Government Regional Meeting
In opening this Conference,, I am very-plreased to join -the
* Gover'nor-General;!= welcoming you and wishing you anL enjoyable
and rewarding visit to Autralia.
This mseetin~ g of Comonwealth H{ eads of Government from -the
Asian nd-South-Pacific Region is a notable event. It is not
only-the first such regional eeting-in-the history cqf the
Comonwealth. but it ia also the largest meeting of Heads of.-
~ tbi a; flieing was
sur~ ar atfied
' tht te* u&, et. Lon has baen. taken up so quickly.
No one &-idwi-tie, Com~ monwealth should be surprised that
we bayvite .-g o--be-omnwat' outstand-
I= ' nattrbutes-has been its resilience -its capacity to adapt
represntation. in 1946 thiere were five
member nations# today there are -thirty ai..
Scma_' peciple expr-eased misgivings about enlarging the Common-'
wrealth: beyonl the narr'ow group of five. How wrong they were. In
today Is -world P the original gmrp of -Live could never have hoped
to be as ralevantof c6m-tfuctive as -the thirty six members of the
' contemporary Coson. ealth.
m2
0 the Commonwealth was held together by the similar-Ity
of itz: s iiebers now diversity is the k~ ey.
sever before-have our members been so dispersed over so
nmy cOruer3 of. the earth, represented such a wide cross section
of social and eeonomie development,, participated in so many
Intnational. agencies\* Vhen change of this magnitude takes
-place it Creates4 , impetus for further development.
In taking this initiative we are responding to the compellin1
comnense-of two facts
iwe are a-Tmembers of the Commonwealth and value
highly the opportniti& te Comffonwealth tie
gives . us.. to discus ' vital issues with one another.
or Weare-also. nelghbours in the Asia-South Pacific
igion.
It is natural that the 12 of us,, joined by tisof bistor~ y
geovaphy~ abould come tog-ether to, develop eqn&, strengthen the
im~ igitia witbi
DterttzeyeewthV-12 f aheev oa1ved diatinotive.
style which emphasizes candid exchanges of views among friends of
equal. standing, reconciling differences and building on common
ro&. muh tor' 4U all_ ñ nAenAQtiO'nal-3relatiOnS Were
conhdiuscwtCa yi ~ it~ to tftr h~ g eat challe-
or~ d.
This meeting provides the Commonwealth membera of-tbhis -region
with our first opportunity to use the unique Commonwealth model to
aPt ourselvez to new circumstances and co-operate more effectively-'
-With2 one anothr. This is becoming all the more pressing as each
ya shows more clearly that distance is being eaten awfty an
isolation. is coming. to an end.
We are being drawn together with remark~ able speed, and, as
goeads of Goverrment responsible for'the welfare of our people, we
know we Cann t ignore the implications of our evergrowing inter
dependem e.
We know that there is hardlly anything that one of us can
do for our own economy or security that will not concern another.
We recognise that none can diminish the dignity of one man without
dimnishing the dignity of all-others
J~ oeof us can be visited by calamity, whether due to nature
or the " xisjudgement . of men without it affecting the welfare of
othrs.$ or can any nation improve its position without it holding
oft. hope. for. other nations.
? he reality of our changing world imposes greater obligations
on each of us* Our very presence here ir, evidence of--our comndtmenñ
to explore , every possible way of acting together, whether novel or
not. The-items that fill the agenda of -bur present world are well
known to s2.2 of us.. Poverty, famine, unmzployment, inflation,
erasrgy: Shortage., trade-barri-ers,. growing national indebtedness,
racism-and the, persistence of international conflict.
The impact of these problems has varied greatly because our
2itina vayinsie-in nber si,-in -r-eorce.-Bwt. noae of-us.
~ yar Adt1nzsAl Sues that-engage7 In 8& f-most. profound
way the ingenuity andi goodwill of us all. But our common concerns,
. oir common b6-pe õ ;-za the œ aci that we live in a common regional
. netgborbo .1 ladst tct cu. serh for. i~ olutions -in
this new-forum. Clerl 4&~ s~ onfrqnt*_ th w-emtral ssue bf-the gap between
: icher an orr aions' 6ami i repo eanitngfuly t6 the challenge
of global'inequities. Austrvlia deeply regrets that agreement has not yet been
ached. in the. International-negotiati onol tfe eistablihment -of
~ a co== o 1LUnd to-6tabilise commodity prices.
A c~~ Ofl fund and-the integrated programme on commodities3
can make a significant-contribution to stabilising international1
trade in primary coimodities a stabilisationl at an equitable
-price level which is so Important to the economic progress-of-many
developing c ountries.
We believe developed nations have to show a sense -of
lurge~ y. SX) purpose on this issue. Australia has recently
re-exszined* its own position on this and we hope that there
wllU a œ i-ther-evolution in the views of other developed
n2ations Mhere isa indeed a great need for both developed an~ d
slevalopinri outrie I to reassess their s~ tances. It would
be tragic it we held dogmatically to rtgid-nd-umbendliag
Positions. I hope that our talks here will encourage others
-to u~ ndertake: such -a reassessment.
in the meeting, we will discuss. o. u political environment,
the im~ pact of the international distribution of power in our
region-issues of industrialisation and trade. We will also
aiddress' ourselves to the major problew-& eq energy-scarlity, the
energy requirements of the vJ~ llage and the industrial Metropolis.
In all this there is ample scope for useful and practical
aarteb. a. attgyree. e-e. a n make. te. best possible use
rest.
-b h~ toeto
r~ ontribute to the resolution of the problems we face, and we seek
to om~ plement other forms of association in our region of the
The opportunities of th~ is conference -present a great chal-
' To apply sli2 our energies to these problems;
to explore every possible means of mutual
asBistance; a nd to strive for practical and workmanlike
solutions*..
7his is precisely what the Commonwealtb-stands fox, pnd
this meeting is committed to this goal.
4.5m.-
fay 3: say once again that all Australians join with me in
valcoing you here today. In addition to the Heads of Government,,
we allo welcome-the Comoriwealth Secretary-General. And we, as
the boat-Government, appreciate the contribution which the-
Commonwealth Secretariat-has made* to the arrangements for this
Regiopal. meeting&
inow have great pleasure in formally declaring open this
Firszt Commonwealth Head&-of-Gorment Regional1 Meeting -and'
inviting the-Sec retar-Genera2. to address us.
13 Plebx'uary 1978 Z. 7
7..