PM Transcripts

PRESS OFFICE TRANSCRIPT FRIDAY, 30 APRIL. 19-82
NEWS CONFERENCE WITH VICE. PRESIDENT BUSH.
Prime Minister
We welcomed the opportunity for discusssions with Vice President
Bush and also the emphasis that the President has placed on
consultations not only with Australia but with countries in the
western Pacific, and the Vice President has been taking in Japan,
Korea, Australia.-And New Zealand and going back through China
at a time when there is so much interest and attention being
focused on the Western Alliance and European affairs. it is
certainly good to know that discussions with Pacific countries are
given the proper place. We have had very useful discussions
this morning, there is no need to say that they have been warm
and friendly discussions, because that would be expected, and
there are a great many issues in which there is a real measure
of agreement between the United States and Australia. We
have discussed matters-that have arisen during the Vice President's
visit, problems with the Western Alliance, prospects for the
United States economy, the Australian economy and obviously
we have also discussed the Falkland Islands and the problems
there. This is just to say publicly how much we welcome you
and Mrs Bush and your party being here.*
Vice President Bush
I would like to thank you and memibers of your Cabinet. We had
a long fruitful meeting, frank discussions and in our view
and I know I speak here, with confidence for the President, which
I normally don't do, but on this subject I will, he has great
confidence that the Prime Minister is taking the problems
of mutual concern, the relationship between our countries is
strong and viable, where problems exist we can sit in there and
talk about them very frankly across the table with no holds
barred and that is exactly the way it should be. So I am just
grateful to the Prime Minister for all of his personal timd and
the time of his various ministers who have accorded us on this
quick visit. The other thinq I want to say is that our President
has invited the Prime g~ inister to meet with him in Washington DC
on May 17. . The Prime Minister agreeing to this and
I think your last visit I noted was on June 30, so it is most
timely and the President is looking forwaxd to an opportunity
to exchange views with Prime Minister Fraser.
Question
Does that obviously mean you will miss the Federal Council of your
Party, is that important?
Prime.. Ainister
No I will not be missing the Federal Council-of my Party, but I
obviously will value the opportunity to continue discussions on
some of the aspects we were talking about this morning, with the
President, especially so when it comes at a critical time before
the various meetings taking place in Europe in June. While we
are not a participant of those meetings we are obviously affected
by their final outcomes, juast as all countries-will be affected by thew~
so I value that opportunity very much indeed.