FOR PRESS 13 DECEMBER, 1978
LUNCHEON FOR PRESIDENT BONGO
On behalf of the Australian Government and people, I extend
to you, your Excellency, a very warm welcome to Australia.
In the past, visiting leaders from African nations have
by and large come from Commonwealth countries and we
are delighted that you have-chosen to come to Australia
on a private visit.
We welcome this opportunity to meet with a leader of
one of the French speaking countries of Africa, but our
pleasure in receiving you in Australia as our guest runs
deeper than that.
As Chairman of the Organisation of African Unity in 1977,
you personally brought a wealth of experience and tact
to that position at a time when African issues were at
the forefront of world attention. Under your leadership,
Gabon has become one of the most prosperous countries
in Africa and your experience suggests that your
Government has much to contribute to the international
debate on economic development.
Both our countries are developing and exploiting a wide
range of natural resources. We are both, for example,
uranium producers and we both stand to benefit from a
more stable approach to world commodity trade.
The Australian Government has been active in encouraging
the development of a more stable and equitable trading
system through means of a Common Fund. International
negotiations on the establishment of a Common Fund have
reached a critical point. At one stage it seemed that
the recent UNCTAD negotiating conference might end
without any consensus being achieved. It was heartening
that in the end both the developed and developing countries
moved towards consensus on a number of the important issues.
Many aspects still require further negotiation, particularly
the size of the Fund and the financial details. What is
needed is a hard-headed analysis by all groups of the
possible options which are available so that the next
negotiating conference can move towards practical agreement
on a viable Common Fund. / 2
As
2
This will demand from all participants a significant
degree of political will, flexibility and pragmatism.
It will also require intensive consultation and
cooperation between countries particularly between
developed and developing countries so that all the
major problems and issues in the North/ South Dialogue
can be fully understood and extreme and intransigent
views on either side modified. It is for just this
reason that the Foreign Minister and myself will be
attending an informal meeting of a number of Heads of
Government in Jamaica later this month called by
Prime Minister Michael Manley.
Your Excellency's visit to Australia has provided another
opportunity for these issues to be examined in a friendly
and informal manner, far removed from the atmosphere
of confrontation and rigid group negotiating stances
which has been seen all too often in the past.
Your Excellency, Australia is following with close
attention political developments in the African continent.
The stability and relative prosperity which Gabon has
enjoyed in recent times provides an optimistic pointer
for the future. But of course not all is well in the
African continent.
In our view there can be no durable peace in Africa until
lasting solutions can be found to the problems in
Southern Africa.
Our two countries are both firmly opposed to the South
African Government's policy of Apartheid. Any policy based
on the supposed superiority of one race over another
constitutes a total denial of fundamental human decencies
and a continuing affront to humanity. It is doomed
to ultimate failure, and we totally reject it.
Your Excellency, I have found our discussion today
interesting and valuable. We are delighted that you
found it possible to visit us. 000---