PRIME MiNSTER
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY EM1BARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER
AUSTRALIA -JAPAN RELATIONS SYMPOSIUM
MARCH 1986 MELBOURNE
I AM DELIGHTED TO RETURN TO ADDRESS THE AUSTRALIA-JAPAN
SYMPOSIUM AND TO WELCOME THE VERY DISTINGUISHED VISITORS
FROM JAPAN WHO ARE HERE AS PARTICIPANTS. IN PARTICULAR, I
WELCOME MR OKAWARA BACK TO AUSTRALIA. AS JAPANESE
AMBASSADOR TO AUSTRALIA SOME YEARS AGO, HE MADE MANY FRIENDS
FOR JAPAN AND WAS A MOST EMINENT ENVOY.
TWO YEARS AGO I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ADDRESSING YOUR CANBERRA
SYMPOSIUM. ON4 THAT OCCASION I REPORTED, AMONG OTHER THINGS,
ON MY FIRST TRIP TO JAPAN AS PRIME MINISTER. ON THIS
OCCASION, I AM ADDRESSING YOU PRIOR TO MY SECOND TRIP TO
JAPAN IN MIAY. IN 1985 PRIME MINISTER NAKASONE VISITED
AUSTRALIA. THESE VISITS AT THE HEAD OF GOVERNMENT LEVEL
DEMONSTRATE CLEARLY THAT THE AUSTRALIA-JAPAN RELATIONSHIP IS
OF GREAT SIGNIFICANCE TO BOTH OUR COUNTRIES.
IN 1984 I SAID THATr OUR RELATIONSHIP WAS AN EVOLVING ONE,
POISED TO MOVE IN NEW DIRECTIONS. NOW, I AM1 ABLE TO REPORT
THAT THIS HAS IN FACT OCCURRED.
DURING THE PAST TWO YEARS WE HAVE BUILT UPON THE
COMPLEMENTARITIES AND THE INTER-DEPENDENCE OF OUR RESPECTIVE
ECONOMIES. NEW AND BENEFICIAL TRADING OPPORTUNITIES HAVE
BEEN FORGED OVER AND ABOVE OUR EXTENSIVE TRADITIONAL TRADE
IN RAW MATERIALS.
THE BASIS OF THE ~ EW TRADING OPPORTUNITIES HAS BEEN THE
DEVELOPMENTS IN INTERNATIONAL FINANCE. A MAJOR POLICY
INITIATIVE OF THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN THE FURTHER
LIBERALIZATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL MARKET AND, IN
PARTICULAR, THE GRANTING IN 1985 OF 16 NEW FOREIGN BANK
LICENCES, OF WHICH 3 WENT TO JAPANESE BANKS. SIMILAR
LIBERALIZATION OF JAPANESE FINANCIAL MARKETS HAS INCLUDED
THE NEGOTIATION OF RECIPROCAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 4 MAJOR
AUSTRALIAN BANKS TO ESTABLISH IN JAPAN.
GIVEN THAT JAPAN HAS BECO14E THE WORLD'S LARGEST NET EXPORTER
OF CAP'ITAL AND AUSTRALIA'S LARGEST SOURCE OF FOREIGN FUNDS,
THESE FINANCIAL INNOVATIONS SHOULD FURTHER FACILITATE THE
EFFICIENT CHANNELLING OF THESE FUNDS INTO BOTH THE EQUITY
AND SECURITY MARKETS IN AUSTRALIA. THESE RECIPROCAL
ARRANGEMENTS WILL IMPROVE AUSTRALIAN UNDERSTANDING OF THE
FUNCTIONING OF THE JAPANESE DOMESTIC MARKET, ENHANCING
OPPORTUNITIES IN JAPAN FOR AUSTRALIAN EXPORTERS. THIS WILL
BE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT AT A TIME OF EXPANDING JAPANESE
DOMESTIC DEMAND FOL; LOWING THE DRAMATIC FALL IN OIL PRICES.
AGAIN, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DIVERSIFY OUR EXPORTS TO JAPAN
BY INCREASING THE CON4TRIBUTION OF MANUFACTURES AND SERVICES.
INDEED AUSTRALIA IS WELL PLACED TO EXPAND OUR SHARE OF TRADE
IN THESE ITEMS TO JAPAN. REAL UNIT LABOUR COSTS HAVE FALLEN
IN AUSTRALIA BY ABOUT 2 PER CENT IN EACH OF 1983-84 AND
1984-85 AND WE ARE EXPECTING A FURTHER FALL OF THAT ORDER IN
THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR. THIS HAS BEEN ACHIEVED IN THE
CONTEXT OF A SHARP REDUCTION IN INDUSTRIAL DISPUTATION.
ALLOWING ALSO FOR THE 25 PER tENT DEPRECIATION OF THE $ A
SINCE EARLY 1985 AGAINST THE WEIGHTED AVERAGE OF OUR TRADING
PARTNERS, THIS HAS PUT AUSTRALIAN ENTERPRISES IN THEIR BEST
COMPETITIVE POSITION FOR A DECADE AND A HALF. JAPAN, I.
BELIEVE, CAN LOOK TO AUSTRALIA BOTH NOW AND IN THE FUTURE AS
ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT TRADING
PARTNERS.
AND ON THE JAPANESE SIDE, THE PROGRAM OF MARKET OPENING
MEASURES INITIALLY ANNOUNCED BY PRIME MINISTER NAKASONE LAST
APRIL IS WELCOME AS A SERIOUS EFFORT TO IMPROVE ACCESS FOR
FOREIGN GOODS. WHILE THE MEASURES SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO
STRENGTHENING THE WORLD TRADING SYSTEM IN THE FACE OF A
MOUNTING PROTECTIONIST TREND, WE HOPE AND EXPECT THAT THEY
WILL ALSO ASSIST THE DIVERSIFICATION OF OUR EXPORTS.
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IS ACTIVELY PROMOTING
DIVERSIFICATION THROUGH THE PROCESS OF RESTRUCTURING OUR
DOMESTIC INDUSTRY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A JAPAN MARKET
STRATEGY. AUSTRALIAN AND JAPANESE COMMITTEES ARE
IDENTIFYING AREAS IN WHICH INDUSTRIAL CO-OPERATION CAN BE
EXPANDED BETWIEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES. IN THESE DELIBERATIONS
AN EMPHASIS IS BEING PLACED ON AREAS WITH THE GREATEST
EXPORT POTENTIAL FOR AUSTRALIA.
NOTWITHSTANDING THESE DEVELOPMENTS, THE GOVERNMENT
RECOGNISES THAT IT IS VITAL FOR AUSTRALIA TO M4AINTAIN OUR
POSITION AS A COMPETITLV1E, RELIABLE SUPPLIER OF TRADITIONAL
PRIMARY PRODUCTS TO THE JAPANESE MARKET. IN THIS REGARD WE
VALUE THE ASSURANCES OF THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT THAT
PURCHASES OF PRIMARY PRODUCTS WHETHER THEY BE COAL, BEEF
OR OTHER COMMODITIES WILL BE MADE ON A STRICTLY COMMERCIAL
BASIS AND NOT IN RESPONSE TO THIRD COUNTRY BILATERAL
PRESSURES.
ONE OF THE MATTERS I ESPECIALLY WISH TO TALK ABOUT ON MY
VISIT TO JAPAN AND, BEFORE THAT, IN THE UNITED STATES AND
EUROPE IS THE REGIME FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, AGRICULTURE HAS ALWAYS BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THE
VARIOUS POST-WAR TRADE LIBERALIZATION ROUNDS. FURTHERMORE,
THE GATT RULES ON AGRICULTURE ARE FAR LESS DISCIPLINED ON
THE USE OF SUBSIDIES, ESPECIALLY EXPORT SUBSIDIES, THAN THE
RULES FOR WORLD TRADE IN MANUFACTURES.
IT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION THAT IF AGRICULTURAL TRADE
IS TO BE PLACED ON A SOUND ECONOMIC FOOTING, IT IS., ESSENTIAL
FOR PROGRESS TO BE MADE FIRSTLY ON THIS CENTRAL ISSUE OF
SUBSIDIES IN THE UPCOMING NEW ROUND OF MULTILATERAL TRADE
NEGOTIATIONS. THIS IS NOT AN ACADEMIC MATTER. IT HAS A
DIRECT BEARING ON AGRICULTURAL PRICES AND PROFITABILITY FOR
ALL EFFICIENT PRODUCERS. AND AUSTRALIANi FARMERS ARE AMONG
THE 1MOST EFFICIENT PRODUCERS IN THE WORLD.
GATT RULES ON AGRICULTURAL SUBSIDIES THEREFORE NEED
SIGNIFICAN4T CHANGES. AUSTRALIA IS STRONGLY OF THE VIEW THAT
A SOLUTION NEEDS TO COMPREHEND A PHASE OUT OF AGRICULTURAL
EXPORT SUBSIDIES OVER AN APPROPRIATE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD TO
BRING THEIR TREATMENT IN LIN~ E WITH THAT APPLICABLE TO
MANUFACTURES TRADE. THIS SHOULD BE COMBINED WITH A
STRENGTHENING OF THE RULES ON OTHER SUBSIDIES, SUCH AS
PRODUCTION SUBSIDIES, TO REQUIRE A COUNTRY USING THEM TO
REMOVE OR REDUCE THEM IF THEY DAMAGE THE TRADING INTEREST OF
OTHERS.
AUSTRALIA HAS CONSISTENTLY ARGUED OVER THE YEARS THAT
ILLEGAL TRADING PRACTICES VOLUNTARY RESTRAINT
ARRANGEMENTS, ORDERLY MARKETING AGREEMENTS, IMPORT
LICENSING, SUBSIDIES AND THE LIKE ARE CAUSING FUNDAMENTAL
DAMAGE AND UNDERMINE THE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM AND THE
CREDIBILITY OF THE GATT AS A CHIEF REGULATORY BODY OF THAT
SYSTEM. WE WERE THEREFORE ONE OF THE FIRST COUNTRIES TO
WELCOME AND SUPPORT THE LAUNCHING OF A NEW ROUND OF MTNS
PROVIDING THEIR PRIMARY FOCUS WAS ADDRESSING THE PROBLEMS AT
THE ROOT OF CURRENT TRADE DISPUTES NAMELY NON-TARIFF
BARRIERS AND SUBSIDIES, PARTICULARLY AGRICULTURAL EXPORT
SUBSIDIES.
WELL OVER ONE HALF OF WORLD TRADE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
IS DEPENDENT ON GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES, CREDITS AND SPECIAL
ARRANGEMENTS. FROM AN AUSTRALIAN PERSPECTIVE, THE CHIEF
PRIORITY FOR THE NEW ROUND IS TO PLACE AGRICULTURAL TRADE ON
A FAIRER, MORE MARKET-ORIENTED BASIS BY BRINGING THE
INTERNATIONAL RULES ON AGRICULTURAL TRADE INTO LINE WITH THE
RULES ON TRADE MANUFACTURERS.
I SUGGESTED IN BANGKOK IN NOVEMBER 1983 THAT COUNTRIES IN
THE WESTERN PACIFIC REGION AND JAPAN OBVIOUSLY IS CENTRAL
IN THIS CONNECTION MIGHT ADOPT A CO-OPERATIVE AND MUTUALLY
SUPPORTIVE APPROACH TO WORKING TOWARD IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM.
4.
PROGRESS IN THE REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS WHICH HAVE FOLLOWED
THIS SUGGESTION HAS BEEN MOST PLEASING. AT THIS KEY STAGE
IN THE PREPARATORY PROCESS TOWARDS A NEW ROUND WE SEE VALUE
IN THESE CONSULTATIONS BEING MAINTAINED AND STRENGTHENED.
AND WE ARE DETERMIN4ED TO ENSURE THAT THE NEW ROUND ADDRESSES
ISSUES WHICH ARE I1MPORTANT TO THE SMALLER TRADING COUNTRIES
IN THE REGION.
IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CO-OPERATION IN REGIONAL TRADE
MATTERS, THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN KEEN TO TAKE
EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP CLOSE CO-OPERATIVE ARRANGEMENTS
WITH OUR PACIFIC NEIGHBOURS. WE WELCOME', FOR EXAMPLE, THE
CO-OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIPS ESTABLISHED IN THE BUSINESS
SPHERE THROUGH ORGAN'ISATIONS LIKE THE PACIFIC BASIN ECONOMIC
COUNCIL AND IN THE RESEARCH PROGRA14S OF THE PACIFIC TRADE
AND DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE.
WE ARE ALSO PLEASED WITH THE WAY IN WHICH THE PACIFIC
ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION CONFERENCE ( PECC) HAS BEEN ABLE TO
DRAW TOGETHER BUSINESS LEADERS, ACADEMIC RESEARCHERS AND
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN EXPLORING AVENUES' FOR GREATER
ECONOMIC COOPERATION. A NUMBER OF JAPANESE LEADERS IN THESE
FIELDS HAVE MADE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS THIS PROCESS
WHICH BEGAN IN 1980.
IN OUR POLITICAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JAPAN, REGULAR FOREIGN
POLICY CONSULTATION BETWEEN OUR NATIONS IS NOW FIRMLY
ESTABLISHED. IN JUNE LAST YEAR BILL HAYDEN REFERRED IN
TOKYO TO AUSTRALIA'S APPRECIATION OF THE EFFORTS JAPAN HAS
CONTINUED TO MAKE TO ENSURE THIS CONSULTATION OCCURS. HE
ALSO MENTIONED ( AND IN THE PRESENCE OF TWO0 DISTINGUISHED
AMBASSADORS OF JAPAN, ONE PRESENT AND ONE PAST, I ENDORSE
THIS) THE COMPLIMENT AUSTRALIA TAKES FROM THE SENIOR
APPOINTMENTS WHICH ARE MADE HERE BY THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT.
AS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JAPAN HAS GROWN TO MATURITY, WE
HAVE UNDERSTOOD THE VALUE OF REGULAR AND OPEN CONSULTATION.
BEGINNING WITH THE AUSTRALIA-JAPAN MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE,
WHICH MET FOR THE EIGHTH TIME IN 1985, WE HAVE BUILT UP A
FRAMEWORK OF CONSULTATIONS WHICH HAS STOOD FIRM THROUGH
POLITICAL CHANGES AND NEW ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES. WE HAVE
BECOME ACCUSTOMED, AS PARTICIPANTS IN A MATURE RELATIONSHIP
MUST, TO AIRING OUR DIFFERENCES FRANKLY AND SEEKING
SOLUTIONS WHICH ALL CAN ACCEPT.
AT AN OFFICIAL LEVEL, THE RANGE OF OUR CONSULTATIONS IS
WIDENING: A HIGH-LEVEL MEETING ON TRADE IS BEING HELD THIS
WEEK IN TOKYO, TO BE FOLLOWED SHORTLY AFTERWARDS BY THE
EIGHTEENTH IN THE SERIES OF TALKS BETWEEN FOREIGN MINISTRY
OFFICIALS. AT THIS YEAR'S MEETING, IN ADDITION TO SHARING
VIEWS ON ISSUES OF BROAD INTERNATIONAL CONCERN, THE FOCUS OF
ATTENTION WILL ALSO BE ON POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN OUR
REGION, ESPECIALLY IN THE PHILIPPINES.
AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN HAVE A SHARED INTEREST IN STAnILITY,
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY IN THE PHILLIPINES. FOR
OUR PART, WE HAVE INCREASED BY 50% OUR AID COMMITMENT TO THE
PHILLIPINES, AS ANNOUNCED BY THE FOREIGN MINISTER, BILL
HAYDEN, DURING HIS RECENT VISIT TO MANILA. WE HAVE ALSO
INDICATED OUR WILLINGNESS TO CONTRIBUTE TO MULTILATERAL
EFFORTS BY SYMPATHETIC DEVELOPED COUNTRIES TO ASSIST THE
PHILLIPINES IN ITS CURRENT VERY DIFFICULT ECONOMIC
SITUATION. JAPAN AND AUSTRALIA HAVE MUCH TO GAIN FROM THE PRESERVATION
OF PEACE, WHETHER THROUGH THE AUSPICES' OF THE UNITED NATIONS
OR THROUGH STRONG SUPPORT FOR DISARMAM~ ENT INITIATrIVES.
LATER IN THE YEAR, JAPANESE AND AUSTRALIAN OFFICIALS WILL
HOLD SPECIALISED CONSULTATIONS ON DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE AND
DISARMAMENT RATTERS. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OUTCOME OF THOSE
DELIBERATIONS. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN IS NOT JUST A
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRADERS AND BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO NATIONS HAS BROADENED AND
DEEPENED INTO AREAS BEYOND THE ECONOMIC AND THE POLITICAL.
OVER 3,000 YOUNG JAPANESE HAVE VISITED AUSTRALIA ON WORKING
HOLIDAY VISAS: MANY AUSTRALIANS HAVE ENJOYED A MATCHING
EXPERIENCE IN JAPAN. JAPANESE TOURISTS TO AUSTRALIA HAVE
REACHED THE 100,000 MARK THIS YEAR, AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF
RAPID GROWTH.
OVER 20,000 AUSTRALIANS A YEAR ARE NOW STUDYING JAPANESE,
AND SOME 19 TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN AUSTRALIA
UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES OF ADVANCED EDUCATION AND THE LIKE
NOW OFFER COURSES IN JAPANESE STUDIES.
AUSTRALIAN ARTS FESTIVALS ARE INTRODUCING BOTH CONTEMPORARY
AND TRADITIONAL JAPANESE CULTURE TO AUSTRALIAN AUDIENCES,
AND THE SPONSORSHIP OF JAPANESE COMPANIES IN AUSTRALIA IS
MAKING AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION4 TO THE EXHIBITIONS,
CONCERTS AND PERFORMANCES WHICH ENRICH THE RELATIONSHIP IN A
WAY THAT IS NO LESS VALUABLE FOR BEING INTANGIBLE.
IN JAPAN, TOO, AUSTRALIA IS MAKING AN IMPACT AS A VIBRANT,
YOUNG COUNTRY WHOSE TALENTED ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, DANCERS,
FILM-MAKERS AND WRIT RS CAN COMPETE WITH ANY INTERNATIONAL
COMPETITORS FOR A PLACE IN THE DYNAMIC JAPANESE ARTS SCENE.
WE WERE PLEASED WITH THE RESPONSE IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR TO
THE FIRST MAJOR EXHIBITION OF AUSTRALIAN 20TH CENTURY ART IN
TOKYO, AND WE HOPE TO FOLLOW IT WITH OTHERS. AUSTRALIAN
STUDIES ARE NOW TAUGHT IN SEVERAL UNIVERSITIES IN JAPAN, AND
THE OPENING THIS YEAR OF THE FIRST FULLY FLEDGED AUSTRALIAN
STUDIES CENTRE, AT NANZAN UNIVERSITY IN NAGOYA, IS A
SIGNIFICANT MIL'ESTONE FOR US.
THERE IS, AS YOU KNOW, CONSIDERABLE INTEREST IN JAPAN IN THE
CULTURE AND TRADITIONS OF THE AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL PEOPLE,
AND SCOPE EXISTS FOR WIDENING THE EXPOSURE IN JAPAN OF THIS
RICH AUSTRALIAN HERITAGE.
IN 1988, THE AUSTRALIAN BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS WILL
INVOLVE THE PEOPLE OF OUR TWO COUNTRIES IN MORE CONCENTRATED
CONTACT THAN AT ANY PREVIOUS TIME.
OUR BICENTENARY IN 1988 -IS ESSENTIALLY A DOMESTIC
CELEBRATION, BUT SUCCESSIVE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS HAVE ALSO
WANTED TO OFFER OTHER NATIONS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE
WITH US. NO COUNTRY HAS RESPONDED WITHI GREATER ENTHUSIASM
TO OUR INVITATION THAN JAPAN AND THAT GIVES ME AND, I AM
SURE, ALL AUSTRALIANS GREAT PLEASURE.
AT THE INSTIGATION OF FOREIGN MINISTER ABE, A MOST
PRESTIGIOUS GROUP OF PRIVATE SECTOR INDIVIDUALS HAS COME
TOGETHER INI TOKYO TO FORM THE JAPAN AUSTRALIA BICENTENNIAL
COMMITTEE, UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF A GREAT FRIEND OF
AUSTRALIA, MR EISHIRO SAITO, WHO IS ALSO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
JAPA?" AUSTRALIA BUSINESS COOPERATION COUNCIL AND THE
CKLtIRMAN OF NIPPON STEEL.
THAT COMMITTEE WILL BE PLANNING AND OVERSEEING THE MANY AND
VARIED FORMS OF JAPANESE PARTICIPATION IN 1988. THEY ARE
CONSIDERING, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR INVITATION TO BE ASSOCIATED
WITH THE NATIONAL BICENTENNIAL SCIENCE CENTRE, AN IMPORTANT
AND LASTING PROJECT FOR 1988.
SUCH A PROJECT HAS A PARTICULAR APPROPRIATENESS FOR JAPAN,
AS ONE OF THE MOST TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED NATIONS IN THE
WORLD. THERE WILL BE MAN\ Y OTHER FORMS OF JAPANESE PARTICIPATION,
ESPECIALLY IN THE TALL SHIPS EVENT, IN EXPO' 88, AND IN THE
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMNET PROGRAM. JAPANESE INVOLVEMENT HAS
BEEN PROMOTED BY PRIME MINISTER NAKASONE'S GENEROUS OFFER,
DURING HIS VISIT HERE LAST YEAR, OF A GIFT OF 3,000 CHERRY
TREES. SOME OF THESE WILL BE USED AT THE SITE OF OUR NEW
PARLIAMENT HOUSE, THE OPENING OF WHICH WILL BE A CENTRAL
EVENT OF 1988.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING AND ENJOYING THE VARIED
EXPERIENCES OF 1988 WITH JAPAN OFFICIALLY AND AT A POPULAR
LEVEL, AND TO THE FURTHER STRENGTHENING OF OUR RELATIONSHIP
WHICH THAT SPECIAL YEAkR WILL GENERATE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
SINCE THESE MEETINGS COMMENCED IN 1973 THEY HAVE GROWN AND
DEVELOPED INTO A MOST IMPORTANT FORUM FOR THE EXPLORATION
AND FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF CO-OPERATION IN A VARIETY OF
ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND CULTURAL FIELDS.
IT IS NOW MY PLEASURE TO DECLARE OPEN THE 14TH SYMPOSIUM AND
I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING A REPORT ON YOUR DELIBERATIONS.