l MISTt รต ALIA
PRiE N13NISTER JUNE, 1980
LETTER TO A. O. F.
The Prime Minister met officials of the Australian Olympic
Federation in Melbourne on Friday.
Attached is the text of a letter given to the President of
the AOF, Mr. S. B. Grange, M. V. O. ZqCf fr1E y z-mv>
PRIME MINISTER CANBERRA
13 June, 1980
Dear Mr. Grange,
It was a matter of' great regret to the Government
that the Ex.--utive of the Australian' Olympic Federation
decided at its meeting of 23 May that an Australian
team should participate in the Moscow Olympic Games.
The Governmecnt has stressed the high interests of
national security that are involved in this question.
The Government has explained the need to prevent the
free and independent world making the same mistakes
in the 1980s as were made in the latter part of the
1930s. Members of the AOF and of sports administrations
who lived through World War II would need no reminding
of the need for resolute action in the face of aggression.
The Government's attitude to the Soviet invasion of
Afghanistan needs to be seen against the background of
subversion, expansion and aggression caused by the
Soviet Union over many years. Apart from their activities
in Hungary and Czechoslovakia, the Soviet Union or its
surrogates have acted in Angola, Yemen, Ethiopia,
Indo-China and Afghanistan to this point, the last and
worst of their aggressions.
The Government is deeply concerned that the Soviet Union
spends more on armaments as a percentage of GNP than did
Nazi Germany in 1938, and twice as much as does the
United: States of America.
Agains t this background, the Government has pressed the
view that the USSR's invasion of Afghanistan requires a
resolute response from Australia* and that, as an
important part of that response, an Australian team
should not be present at the Moscow Olympics. Now it
appears that some members of the AOF Executive, in
exercising their independent right to make a decision in
these matters, have decided to place their perceived duty
to the International Olympic movement above their duty
to Australia, and to all Australians. The Government
cannot accept that such a decision would be taken if
there were a proper understanding of all the factors
involved. In any case, since that decision there have been
important changes in circumstances both in Australia and
overseas, which in addition to the continuing Soviet
occupation of Afghanistan provide sound reasons for
reversing the decision.
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A number of sporting bodies and individual sportsmen
and women have decided to withdraw from the Australian
Olympic contingrent. The team is no longer the best that
Australia can field. This is a reflection of the
grow-ing community view that Australian sportsmen and women
should not take part in the Moscow Games.
Significantly, almost all sporting bodioes in New Zealand
have withdrawn fromi the Moscow Games. I understand only
four members remain in the original team. ' De facto'
there is no New Zealand team.
This brings me to a serious point. Australia is now
isolated in our region. China, Japan, South Korea,
Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore,
Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and de facto New Zealand
will not be attending.
In deciding to attend the Moscow Games, Australia is
virtually alone in the region, in company with only
communist Laos, communist Vietnam and communist North Korea.
I have to say that I find that a shameful position to be in.
The AOF Executive decision ignores the national interest
and clearly its thinking is not shared by all those other
governments in our region and by many others, not least
by a majority of Australian citizens themselves.
The AOF Executive has effectively isolated Australia from
our regional allies and partners, and from many of our
most important traditional friends. Let me put it to you
personally, and through you to the Executive, that
Australia as an independent nation with an unqualified
record in defence of liberty and the right to be free,
has a " bounden duty to support other free and independent
nationg--To fail to do so is to deny our history.
Moreover., there is a specific and urgent need for
Australia, as an ally of the United States, to support the
world's greatest free power and our ally. Each of these
grounds standing alone should be sufficient. Both together
represent an overwhelming argumeiit to which the AOF must
respond.
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was totally without
justification. it was an affront to the principle of the
independence and sovereignty of nations, and clearly in
contempt of the Charter of the United Nations. It has
been condemned by the United Nations General Assembly and
the U. N. Commission on Human Rights, by the House of
Commons, by the Parliament of Europe and by many others.
Despite this, the invasion is continuing, with widespread
bloodshed and brutality. / 3
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A united response by all freedom-loving countries
to the Soviet aggression is vital if we are to
demonstrate that the will and resolve exists to
make them pay a high price for their continued
occupation of Afghanistan. It is necessary to
prevent further Soviet moves which would take the
world closer to war. A lack of such resolve would
undoubtedly have serious consequences for world
peace and put at risk the national security of all
free and independent nations, with whom Australia
must stand.
The Government, along with other like-minded countries,
cannot understand how a country engaged in the invasion,
occupation and suppression of another nation could
be a fit host for the Olympic Games. It is generally
accepted that the Soviet Union sees the Games as a means
of demonstrating widespread approval of its foreign
policy. In going to Moscow our athletes will be
portrayed by the Soviet Union as in sympathy with Soviet
foreign policies. But a foreign policy that results in
the invasion and brutal repression of another people
is one that is abhorrent to the great majority of
Australians. As I have said on many occasions recently, the Government
has no wish to penalise athletes. Nevertheless, we
should not place athletes above all other young
Australians. Nor should sports officials place themselves
and athletes above other Australians. Sports officials
in exercising the right to make the decision on whether
to go to Moscow must concede that there is a responsibility
to Australia which transcends other responsibilities.
A boycott of the Moscow Olympic Gaines will demonstrate
to the Soviet people the world-wide condemnation of
their country's invasion of Afghanistan. Notwithstanding
the controls on the Soviet media, a boycott will be
visible and the, reasons for it will be brought home
to the Soviet people.
Chancellor Schmidt, Prime Minister Thatcher and Prime
Minister Trudeau have written to me recently re-affirming
their position on the importance of a boycott of the
Mosco. Games. Mr. Trudeauemphasised that there is no
sign that the Soviet Union is about to reconsider its
policy of aggression in Afghanistan. He pointed out
that there is thus more reason to ensure that the / 4
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boycott of the Moscow Games is supported by as many as
the world's governments and international Olympic
Committees as possible. Mr. Trudeau makes it plain
that it is his view that a boycott is an effective
instrument that the world can use to say plainly to
the Soviet Union that its military adventurism stands
condemned. Similar views have been put recently by the Soviet
human rights activist and Nobel Prizewinner, Andrei
Sakharov, who said, in the context of the Soviet
invasion of Afghanistan, that ' the broadest possible
boycott of the Moscow Olympics is necessary. Every
spectator or athlete who comes to the Olympics will be
giving indirect support to Soviet. military policies'.
My Government wants no part in this. Neither does the
majority of the Australian people.
In these circumstances and against the background of the
effective boycott of the Moscow Games by many important
sporting countries, I ask you, on behalf of the Government,
to institute whatever action is necessary for your
Executive to review and reverse its decision concerning
participation by an Australian team. Notwithstanding
the lateness of the hour and the advanced state of
preparation, it is imperative that this should be done.
I ask all members of the Executive as plainly and bluntly
as possible to place their national duty first.
This letter has been firmly argued. That is deliberately
so. In uncertain times, no national leader can
guarantee world peace and freedom from war. Weakness
and irresolution will bring war measurably closer.
There: can be no apology for and no appeasement with
aggressors. What I can guarantee is that whatever hold
the world now has on peace will be made measurably more
secure by Australian support of the Olympic boycott.
I expect you to place Australia first.
Yours sincerely,
( Malcolm Fraser)
Mr. S. B. Grange, M. V. O.,
President, Australian Olympic Federation.