FOL LOWING IS TRANSCR IPT INTERV I IW WITH PRIME MINISTER AND SENATOR
P E[ ACY CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE FORI IGN RE1t. 4TIONS COMMITTEL U. S.
p I r 6 [ L WAS5H INGTON, 14h JUNE 1 98.'
P E RCY: WE HAVE HA4D ONE OF THE MUS(-T INFORMATIVE-AND INTERESTING
MEET INN! O . S THAT WE' VF HAD) FOR, A LON5 TI ME. WE HAD THE UNUSUAL
OPPONTUNITY TO TAI E THE PRIME MINISTER AS A FELLOW PARL IAMENTARIAN
AND THE DISTINGUISHED TREASURER AND SIR ROBERT COTTON, THE FORMER
MEMBELR OF THE SENA) TF FROM AUSTRAI IA ON THE FLOOR DURING A ROLL. CALL
VOTE WHICH RECESSED THE SENATE 50' THAT ALL THE SENATORS COULD COME UP
IN HERE. WE HA4D s-MOST INFORMATJ VE MEE~ fING AND HAVE BEEN REASSURED
ON MANY POINTS WITHOUT ANY QU T * ONING3 OF THE FRIENDSHIP AND BOND OF
P I ENDSH I P E L' '.. ELN THIE PEOPLE OF AUST RAL IA AND THE PEOPLE OF IFHE
UNIT ED STAILS. rjiZ: TWO fCOVERNMENIS ARE CLOSER THAN EVER.
OLILU3T I ON: WHIAT DO YOU TH I 1k OF I HE NEW GOVERNMENT'S POLICY) ARE
( HECRE ANY PROBLEI WI'IH IT?
PERCY: WE HAD ONE UUESTION ON THi MIDDLE EAST, BECAUSE I AM DEEPLY
CONCERNED ABOUT THE PEACE--VEEP1NI FORCES OUT THERE. I'LL LET THE
PRIME MINISTER SPEAV FOR HIMSELF ON THAT. WE HAD AN EXTENSIVE
DISCUSSION, I THINK EVERYONE IN ' IHE ROOM WAS VERY SATISFIED.
QUEST ION: HOW WILL YOU BE RESPONIIING TO THE CONGRESSIONAL LETTER ON
EAST TIMOR.
HA) W1( L I LL BE REPLYING TO IT IN TERMS BASICALLY OF THE DECISIONS
11141 WE MAKE. I'LL ACKNOWLEDGE ilHE LET'IER. THERE WILL EE
DISCUSSIONS THAT WILL GO ON WITHIN THE PARTY AND THE GOVERNMENT IN
4) 1ICTRALIA AND THE DECISION THAT WF-TAKE IN REGARD TO OUR ATTITUDE ON
EAST TIMOR, AS I'VE CONSISTENTLY SAID BOTH IN INDONESIA AND
AUSTRALIA, WILL BE MADE CLOSER TO' THE ' TEVENT AND IN THE LIGHT OF ALL
THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH ARE RELEVANT AT THAT TIME.
() UESTION: M~ R HAWVKE, WHAT DID YOU TELL THEM ABOUT AUSTRALIA'S ROLE IN
[ HE SINAI?
HIAWKE: I INDICATED THiAT I'D SAIN WHEN I BECAME LEADER OF THE
0PP'JSIT ION, FOR THAT B3RIEF PERIOD, AND THEN WHAT I'VE SAID IN
THAT WE WILL NOT BE TAKING ANY PRECIPITATE ACTION TO
WI,"' UDRAW OUR FORCES THERE. I'LL P-E GOING TO THE AREA LATER ON EARLY
NEXI YEAR AND THAT-BOTH IHE FOREII6N MIN1IER HAVE THE VIEW ASINDEED
I illINk' THE GREAT MAJORITY OF OURk GOVERNING PARTY DOES, IS THAT THE
C : RLfriTANCES NOW ARE QUITE DIFPIRENTr FROM THE TIME AT WHICH _( HAT
COUNbjL WAS COMMITTED. SINCE THEN THERE HAS BEEN THE WAR IN LLEANON.
T1HLE IS NOW THE PRESENCE OF FOR(: S fROM FHE UNITED STATES, ( HE
: jN'IfED K INGDOM, FRANCE AND ITALY IN TfHE AREA. WE'RE NOT* GOING TO LBE
A!, SOCIATED WITH ANY ACTION WHICH COULD IN ANY WAY DESTABILISE THAI
ALREADY FRAGILE REGION. / 2
QUESTION: DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE LACOR
GOVERNMENTPERCY: NO, NO A'T ALL. WE HAD, JETS JUs1 SAY, ONE OTHER THING THA
WE DID i) Sk FOR CO-Ol'LFATION HERE AND SUPPOH1 NV CONTINUED SUPPORi
AND WE RLLEI VLO VI. Lill ALSO WE HAVE BEEN ~ IOMEWHAII SLOW IN RAT71IF'rlN6
fHE' ICIVAC ISLAND' IREAl1ES. T1 PRESIDENT HAS NOW WRITTEN A LETTER
' O 11E MAJORIY LLADER Ar MY REGMl-SI fjL'INL 7HA'f IT RE GIVEN A VERN
1IiLp" PR lOR11Y. I THINk WI FJ SEN.) IOR PLLL' CO--OPER; A ION TUAHA
L 1) ARIIAN WE WILL. ONCE AGAIN iET 1WO--7HIRODi V'IE FOR THESE
* lRflI IV, AND IOVL AHLAU WI 17H OUR !-JUONG AND CLOSEh ALLIlES, BOTH
AUG1 RALIA AN) NL iJ ZEALAND.
OUESTTON: WHAT AEOUT CEN'( Ral-AMFRICA SIR, DID THAT COME JJP?
tiEcRCY: NO CENTRAL AMERICA DID NOT COMEAUP WHILE I WA1S IN THIU ROOM.
HAWWE: I'LL DE DISCU5SING THAT No) DOUDI WI( H SECRETARY OF STATE
STHULTZ LATER ON THIG MORNING.
ENDS.