PM Transcripts

6.
FOR ? IEDXA 9 MARCH 1987
Forty nine mamber countries of the Commonwealth celebrate
Commonwealth Day today.
The Common'woalth today represents a quarter of the vyorld~ s
population, a third of its sovereign and independent nations, and
people of al colours and creeds.
Successive Australian Governments have regarded the Commonwealth
as having a valuable role to play in international affairs. The
commonweal Z~ has helped to promote international acceptance of
the princ~ ples of self-determination, non-racialism, human
freedom an-d equality and co-operation between nations in the
service of international understanding, development and world
peace.
Over the post two years the situation in South Africa has been of
particular concern and the Commonwealth has endeavoured to
promote dialogue between whites and blacks and has taken measures
aimed at ending the abhorrent apartheid system.
in a less dramatic but no less important way, it has continued to
provide bot%-h a forum for conzultation and co-operation on a wide
range of economic, social, educational and technical matters of
particular benefit for both developed and developing country
members. The next meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government, which
will be hold in Vancouver in October this year, will provide a
further opportunity for Commonwealth leaders to pursue the broad
Commonwealth objectives of international co-operation and
understanding.