PRESS OFFICE TRANSCRIPT 19 JUNE 1978 -cl7
INTERVIEW WITH JOHN FLOWER
QUESTION: Prime Minister, you've just returned from knocking
at1WtEC's door and yet today Mr. Froggart ,, the Chairman
to of Shell, who was appointed/ the AIDC only last week, says you
should be looking for markets elsewhere. What's your
comment on that?
PRIME MINISTER: Well I think we should be looking for our
markets everywhere and we are. If you look at the way in which
our markets have expanded in Asia with countries like Korea
and obviously Japan you will know quite well there has
been an enormous expansion of trade with the emerging developing
countries in Asia and the Western Pacific and that goes ahead
but you know its saying something of great consequence to
many Australian industries if we are to say " alright, the
European community, well over 200 million of the world's
wealthiest, most technologically advanced people have markets
that are to be closed to important Australian products". It's
in Europe that we're up against non-tariff barriers that
exclude us from their markets. We are not up against such
barriers in Asia and other countries where our trade has been
expanding in a very satisfactory manner and its obvious
therefore, that since in a sense Europe has been the trouble
spot that Europe should attract a great deal of attention and
its all the more disturbing because many countries in Europe
are now behind particular proposals which are designed to
break down the most-favoured nation principle in trade and
if that happens middle-ranking countries, smaller countries,
developing countries would have a great deal to fear from
the major power blocs.
QUESTION: Do you see your trip as being worthwhile in what
tangible evidence do you bring back to say to the Australian
people " this what I've done for Australia, this is what I've
brought back for Australia"?
PRIME MINISTER: Australia's view is well known, it's now
understood inrelation to the wider trade matters and of
course Mr. Garland has been continuing to press the
particular European matters. There are two strands in what's
been happening; entry to Europe on a bilateral basis through
the European community and the broader based international
trade negotiations being undertaken at Geneva. It's been
terribly important that Australia stress her point of view,
have it known and understood and also have it known that we
are going to be pressing it as hard as we possibly can with
great determination. Europe knows that, other countries
know that it was essential that Australia put herself in
this position.
QUESTION: Did the Common Market ( inaudible), Mr. Jenkins,
the Presid-ent, like what he heard when you put your views to him?
PRIME MINISTER: I wasn't negotiating with Mr. Jenkins and
deliberately not, because that had been done with Mr. Gunn
INTERVIEW WITH JOHN FLOWER. JUNE 19,1978
2-
and at the same time the Commission had said that Australia's
bilateral problems should be resolved, dealt with, in the
wider forum, in the multilatereral forum in Geneva and for
the moment we are taking the Commission at their word but
we are going to test the validity of the Commission's view
that entry for beef and other Australian products can be
achieved through sensible and more broadly based arrangements
arrived at in Geneva. I told Mr. Jenkins this was the real
reason why I wanted to see him; that it would: be a grave
mistake to underestimate the strength and the determination
behind the strength of Australia's view.
QUESTION: Where will you be putting Australia's situation
next, t eneva--or the MTN?
PRIME MINISTER: It will be put at MTN and Geneva and we will
be arguing very very strongly for agriculture to be included,
as we must and we have been assured that the United States
will walk away from the negotiations if agriculture is not
included. So, at least the United States and Australia are
both arguing for agriculture to be included in the final
results of the MTN. Now, if that occurs, that will be a major
victory for Australia because on previous negotiations, ever
since the war, agriculture has been pushed aside in a sense,
into the " too-hard" basket, leaving it open to countries to
use whatever restrictive unreasonable rules they like in relation
to agriculture. 000---