PM Transcripts

AUS r KALiA,' 4
FR1ME MIBOSTER
FOPR MEDIA 31 May 1983
Australia will host the 14th Meeting of the South Pacific
Forum in Canberra, from 23-30 August 1983.
This will be the first major international conference hosted
by Australia since my Government came to office. This is
particularly appropriate in view of the great importance
Australia attaches to South Pacific regional co-operation
and its relations with the countries of the. South Pacific.
I look forward to the opportunity that this Meeting will
provide for discussions at Head of Government level on a
range of political and economic issues and particularly on
matters of special concern to Forum member countries.
I am pleased that the Heads of Government of all the Forum
member countries have indicated they will be able to attend.
The member countries are Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji,
Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea,
. Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Western Samoa.
The Federated States of Micronesia is also an observer
member and will be represented at the Meeting.
The formal Meeting session will take place on 29-30 August
at the Lakeside International Hotel and this will be
preceded by an informal gathering of Forum leaders on
28 August.
Australia has been a member of the Forum since its
foundation in 1971 and hosted the second Forum Meeting
in Canberra in 1972.