PM Transcripts

PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA 27 JULY 1986
As a further step in the Government's efforts to prevent the
extension of the Export Enhancement Program to the Soviet
Union and China, I have decided that an all party delegation
should travel to the United States this week to put
Australia' 3 concerns personally to members of the Congress.
The delegation will seek to persuade key Congressmen of the
devastating consequences for Australia, and especially for
Australian rural producers, of extending the EEP to the
Soviet Union and China.
The delegation will be headed by the Minister for Primary
Industry, M~ r Kerin. It will also include the Chairman of
the Caucus Committee on Rural Affairs, Mr Barry Cunningham,
who also heads my Country Task Force. The other three
members of the delegation will be nominated by their
respective parties.
I have tociay informed the opposition spokesman on Primary
Industry, M~ r Hunt, of my decision. The Australian Democrats
spokesman in this area, Senator Macklin, has also been
informed. I expect the delegation to leave for the U. S. about the
middle of this week. Although there appears to be no
definite time scale for the final passage of the relevant
legislation, the Congress is unlikely to have completed its
consideration of the proposed extension at least until the
following week.
The proposed extension of the EEP has precipitated this
decision to send a joint delegation, a concept which I had
been discuscing with Mr Dawkins and Mr Kerin and for which I
had received strong indications of support from Mr Hunt.
Today's decision follows a series of measures I have taken
over the last few days in an attempt to prevent the
extension of the EEP. Last Thursday night, I telephoned
U. S. Secretary of State Shultz to discuss our concerns with
him. On Friday, I spoke with Canadian Prime minister
Mulroney, and I wrote to Argentine President Alfonsin,
suggesting that similar representations be made by them to
the U. S. Administration. On Friday night, I spoke by
telephone with Senator Richard Lugar, Chairman of the U. S.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a member of the
Senator Agriculture Committee.
I also sent on Friday messages to Congressional leaders
explaining the potential impact of the proposed legislation
on Australia.