PRESS OFFICE TRANSCRIPT THURSDAY, 7 FEBRUARY, 1980
PRIME MINISTER AND PRESIDENT CARTER
THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON
President Carter
Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser of Australia, who camne here
a few days ago to consult very closely with me on matters of
common interest to our two countries, particularly the late
developing events centred around the Soviet invasion of
Afghanistan. Following his visit here, Prime Minister Fraser
went to London to meet with the Prime minister of the
United Kingdom Great Britain then went to meet with the
Chancellor of Germany and then the President of France.
Following those visits, the leaders of the European countries
suggested that because his meetings were so fruitful with them
that he might stop by to see me again to give me a report on
their consultations in Europe. I am deeply grateful that
Prime Minister Fraser has been willing to do this. His report
has indeed been helpful. We are grateful also that Australia
because of their courageous stand as an ally of ours in
condemninig the invasion that threatens the peace in South West
Asia and the Persian Gulf region, the fact that as a major
exporter of grain Australia immediately announced that they would
not replace the grain being withheld by our country from the
Soviet Union. I am also very pleased at the close military,
economic and political alliance that exists among Australia,
New Zealand and the United States. There ias a meeting of
Foreign Ministers scheduled in this alliance in July. At the
suggestion of Prime Minister Fraser we have decided to move that
meeting up until the last week in February so that we can
expedite the common discussions among us about the situation in
the Indian Ocean and the regions bordering that sea.
We have had a thorough discussion about the Olympics and what
might be done concerning the Olympics if the Soviets do not
quickly withdraw all their forces from Afghanistan. Prime Minister
Fraser has taken the lead in this discussion and consultation
as well. It is with a great deal of pleasure that I have welcomed
him back here. I would like to ask him, as an honoured guest,
to make a few comments to you.
Prime Minister-
Thank you very much Mr. President. I value very greatly indeed
the discussions that we had a few days ago, and also today.
I had said at the outset that this round of discussions that I
have undertaken, that it is important for the development of
Australia's own policy in the future to know as well as possible
tie mind of the President of the United States, the policies of
this country, and also of principal countries in Europe. We have
no presumnptuous view of the influence of 14 million Australians,
but we are determined to play what part we can in a cause that
is important for free peoples wherever they may be. We are glad
indeed, and thankful, that the United States has responded in
recent days, that the President made and delivered the statement / 2
JOINT STATEMENT, WHITE HOUSE -2-
Prime Minister ( continued)
he did in the State of the Union message which should surely
give clear warnings to the Soviets about any further moves
beyond Afghanistan and the clear need, as there clearly is,
to bring greater reassurance to the world by removing forces
from Afghanistan.
There are times when all of us in independent nations have
necessarily to depend on the United States for the kind of world
in which we live. This is the world's greatest free power,
the strongest country in the world. In times of danger, in times
of invasion, as there have been the Soviet invasion of
Afghanistan it is the United States that must set a lead.
The United States has done what is necessary in the preservation,
as Australia believes, of world peace. Because we strongly
believe that what the President has done is right, because we
strongly believe that what the. President has done is necessary,
Australia has moved to support in what ways we * can the actions
of the United States. We will continue to do so in a cause
which is of such great importance for us all.
The United States has also taken a lead over the matter of
the Olympics. I have shown, some days ago, that small document
that has been handed out by Soviet activists in Moscow giving
their view of what the Olympics means and how they are going to
exploit it amongst their own people. They have made it the
Soviets themselves have made it perfectly plain that they
regard the Olympic Games being held in Moscow as a great social
and political event; not at that moment speaking about a great
sporting event which is what it is meant to be. They have also
made it perfectly plain in their own writings and documents that
they would regard the awarding of the Games to Moscow as a mark
of approval of Soviet foreign policy. Against the background of
their own statements, and against the background of their invasion
of Afghanistan, how can free peoples representatives go to
Moscow, and no matter what they themselves might say, allow the
Soviets to say of them that their presence there is a mark of
approval of Soviet foreign policy. That is plainly, in the
current circumstances, what the Soviet Union would in fact be
saying.
Mr. President, I welcome very much the discussions that we have
been able to have. They have been extraordinarily useful to me.
They have given me much if it was needed much greater
confidence that the United States, together with allies in Europe,
is determined to do what must be done, to preserve all those things
which the people of the United States and the people of Australia
hold most dear. 000---