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PARLIAMENTARY STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER
ON HIS VISIT TO ZIMBABWE AND THE
1991 COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MT' Q{-AARA
WEDNESDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 1991
Mr Speaker
seek leave to report-to the House on t] I*
visit I made to Zimbabwe between 14 and 24 0 n
My visit had four main components: a meeting of the
High-Level Appraisal Group on the future of the
Commonwealth, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
itself, a short bilateral visit to Zimbabwe at the
invitation of President Robert Mugabe, and my separate
bilateral discussions with a number of Heads of Government
of countries important to Australia. In all its elements,
my visit significantly advanced important Australian foreign
and international economic policy interests.
Mr Speaker
The High-Level Appraisal Group on the future of the
Commonwealth was established by the 1989 Commonwealth Heads
of Government in Kuala Lumpur to examine Commonwealth
priorities for the 1990s and beyond, and to consider the
adequacy of Commnonwealth institutions to meet these
priorities. It was the first review of the Commonwealth's
priorities to be undertaken by Heads of Government. Ten
Commonwealth leaders took part, under the chairmanship of
Prime Minister Mahathir of Malaysia. Our meeting, on
October, considered preparatory documents prepared by a
special group of senior officials, and by the Commonwealth
Secretary-General. The main result of our deliberations was
the draft Harare Declaration on the future of the
Commonwealth, which was later endorsed by all Commonwealth
Heads of Government.
My colleagues on the High-Level Appraisal Group agreed that
the Commonwealth should seek to make a distinctive
contribution int particular areas where it has a comparative
advantage and proven expertise, and where its efforts
complement, rather than compete with, larger or more
specialised multilateral agencies.
A particular priority which we identified for the
Commonwealth is; the protection and promotion of the
fundamental pol~ itical values enshrined in the Commonwealth's
Singapore Decla~ ration of 1971. These values include
democracy, democratic processes and institutions, the rule
of law, just and honest government and fundamental human
rights. I
The steady spread of these values around the world has been
one of the most heartening international developments of the
past few years. And I was struck by the degree of
commitment to them which I found among my colleagues in
Harare. But we all recognised that the Commonwealth
countries are not perfect in this regard.
At Harare it was agreed that Commonwealth members should
help one another to do better by developing institutions of
democratic government. We recognised that in these areas
the Commonwealth's unique strengths of a shared heritage and
common language can contribute to a pragmatic and
cooperative approach to solving problems.
We are already seeing that happen. The Commonwealth's role
in election monitoring, guidelines for which were approved
by the High-Level Appraisal Group, is one important area of
assistance. The President of the Senate, Senator Sibraa,
and the Hon Member for MacKellar have been involved in just
such a monitoring exercise in Zambia in the past week.
The peaceful and orderly transfer of power in Zambia over
the weekend is a sign of hope that the democratic principlev
of the Commonwealth will at last take deep root and flourish
in Africa. I have sent messages both to Zambia's new
president Mr Chiluba and to his predecessor, my old
Commonwealth colleague Kenneth Kaunda, congratulating them
on this historic achievement.
Other priorities which we identified for the Commonwealth
include the promotion of sustainable development; further
help to bring about a free, democratic, non-racial and
prosperous South Africa; action to combat drug trafficking
and abuse: and help with the particular economic and
security problems of small Commonwealth states, many of
which are in our own region.
Mr Speaker
The full Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting was held
between 16 and 21 October. Forty-seven countries were
represented, forty-three of them by their Heads of State or
Prime Ministers. President Mugabe of Zimbabwe chaired the
meeting. Issues on the agenda for the meeting included global trends
and prospects, South Africa, the world economic situation,
environmental issues and Commonwealth functional
cooperation. On South Africa, the principal issue facing CHOGM this year
was to determine the Commonwealth's response to the
fundamental process of reform which had been initiated in
South Africa during the two years since Commonwealth Heads
of Government last met.
The major steps which have been taken in South Africa to
dismantle apartheid and commence the work of building a nonracial
constitution were symbolised for us in Harare by the
presence amongst us of Nelson Mandela. Two years ago when
CHOGM met in Kuala Lumpur, Mandela was still a prisoner in a
South African jail.
The change of heart in the South African Government
symbolised by his release, and by the dismantling of the
legislative pillars of apartheid, has been a spectacular
vindication of the principled stance and practical measures
that the Commonwealth, often at Australia's urging, has
adopted on the South Africa issue in recent years.
But equally the massive progress in South Africa is a
challenge to the Commonwealth to move with the times. It
must respond to that progress in an imaginative and forwardlooking
way which will ensure that the Commonwealth
continues to lead international opinion in working for the
well-being of all South Africa's peoples.
This is a challenge which the Commonwealth Heads of
Government took up with alacrity. Even before CHOGM proper,
began, at the High Level Appraisal Group meeting on October
my Commonwealth colleagues showed their determination to
ensure that the Commonwealth remained relevant and
constructive. They were determined in particular to establish a direct and
vigorous dialogue with the principal parties to the reform
process in South Africa, so that the Commonwealth could
learn directly from those involved how it could best
contribute to that process. CHOGM decided to despatch the
Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Anyaoku, to South
Africa. This week he will explore with the principal
parties how the Commonwealth might assist in lending
momentum to the process of negotiating a new constitution.
Australia strongly supports this forward-looking step.
The same spirit was evident in the discussions of the future
of Commonwealth sanctions on South Africa. The meeting
recognised the significance which sanctions undoubtedly had
in bringing the South African Government to the negotiating
table. And they recognised that as long as the process of reform
continued to be frustrated and obstructed by acts of bad
faith, sanctions would be important to maintaining the
momentum of negotiations.
But equally they recognised as Nelson Mandela himself said
that sanctions are doing serious damage to South Africa's
economy, and to the welfare of ordinary South Africans. For
that reason, sanctions should not be kept in place any
longer than necessary.
In the light of these considerations, CHOGM decided to adopt
the recommendations of the Commonwealth Committee of Foreign
Ministers on South Africa ( CFMSA) for a phased approach to
the lifting of sanctions. The CFMSA's recommendations
strongly reflected Australia's long-standing views, which
had been vigorously put fcrward by Senator Evans at
successive CFMSA meetings. We were therefore delighted with
this outcome.
In accepting the CFMSA proposals, the CHOGM agreed to the
immediate lifting of people-to-people sanctions, covering
visa and consular matters, cultural and scientific ties, and
air links. We are already implementing these decisions.
Trade and investment sanctions will be lifted once
appropriate transitional mechanisms have been agreed, and
financial sanctions will be lifted when a new constitution
has been agreed. The arms embargo will be lifted only when
a non-racial, democratic government is in place.
I was heartened by the views put to me by Nelson Mandela in
my long and detailed private discussions with him on the
prospects for reform in South Africa and the future of the
Commonwealth's role. Mr Mandela told me he was confident
that the pace of reform would allow rapid lifting of both
trade and investment sanctions and financial sanctions. His
confidence reflected a belief that the South African
Government shared his concern about the effect of the
sanctions on South Africa's economy. It also reflected his
belief that the Government accepts that transitional
arrangements must be finalised quickly, as it recognises
that it cannot continue to be both umpire and player in the
reform process.
The Commonwealth is now looking to the future South Africa.
Its new focus, underscored in Harare, will be to help the
people of South Africa manage the changes now upon them in
ways that will ensure a new non-racial nation re-enters the
international community in the best possible shape.
Australia is helping develop the democratic anti-apartheid
movement's role in the sound economic management of
post-apartheid South Africa. This was cited by a number of
Commonwealth colleagues as a model for the sort of help the
Commonwealth can provide.
Mr Speaker
The Commonwealth meeting unanimously endorsed the proposals
of the CFMSA Ministers on the re-entry of South African
sporting bodies into international competition as long as
they achieve uniLty and are endorsed by the appropriate
non-racial sporting organiisation in South Africa. It was
particularly gratifying that we were able to have included
in the meeting's communique specific reference to the
Commonwealth's support for South African participation in
the cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand early
next year, and -that the International Cricket Conference has
since agreed to this.
Mr Speaker
In the discussion of the world economic situation,
Commonwealth leaders demonstrated their firm commitment to
greater trade liberalisation. This diverse group of
countries developed and developing, and from every
continent recognised the perils of a drift towards greater
protectionism. They called for a successful, substantive and comprehensive
outcome to the Uruguay Round, laying particular emphasis on
a marked reductiLon in trade barriers and other distortions
in agricultural markets. I told my colleagues that it would
be tragic if, at the very moment the Cold War has ended and
the world's hopes for peace seem closer to fulfilment than
ever before, we were to undercut our achievement by a
reversion to selfish, but finally self-defeating, forms of
protectionism. I was heartened by the strong support this message received
from my Commonwealth colleagues. Like all Honourable
Members, I hope that in the critical months ahead the
leaders of the major trading nations take careful note of
the message sent to them by one quarter of the world's
population through their leaders in Harare.
Mr Speaker
The Commonwealth leaders also emphasised their continuing
support for the protection of the global environment and the
achievement of sustainable development. They pledged
themselves to work for a successful outcome of the United
Nations Conference on the Environment and Development next
year. I announced my own intention to attend that meeting,
as did many of my colleagues. Commonwealth members will be
cooperating closely in the months ahead to help ensure the
success of this important meeting.
Another issue discussed at the meeting, which I should
mention briefly, was the report of a working party on the
role of sport in the Commonwealth, including the
Commonwealth Games. As Honourable Members will know, both
Adelaide and Kuala Lumpur have applied to hold the 1998
Commonwealth Games. I made clear, in both my formal and
informal contacts with my colleagues, that although
Australia supports the principle of involving as many
countries as possible in the future of the Games, we firmly
believed Adelaide has the best bid for 1998 and that we
would continue to work for its success.
Mr Speaker
In addition to my participation in the formal CHOGM
sessions, I was also able to undertake a range of bilateral
discussions with leaders of a number of countries important
to Australia. Among these were Prime Ministers John Major
of the United Kingdom, Brian Mulroney of Canada, Jim Bolger
of New Zealand, Rabble Namaliu of Papua New Guinea,
Dr Mahathir of Malaysia, Goh Chok Tong of Singapore and Rao
of India. I was also able to hold discussions with
President Vassiliou of Cyprus and Prime Minister
Fenech-Adami of Malta as well as the Heads of Government of
our Pacific Commonwealth neighbours.
My stop-over in Mauritius gave me an opportunity to talk at
length to Mr Madun Dulloo, the Minister of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Natural Resources about our growing economic
relationship with Mauritius, our second largest trading
partner in Africa.
It would not be appropriate for me to canvas the details of
all my bilateral discussions, but there are a couple of
specific points which I should mention.
Prime Minister Rao and I had a particularly useful
discussion of Australia's relations with India and of the
opportunities now opened up by his government's far-reaching
moves to liberalise the Indian economy. He and I agreed
that we should put renewed effort into our existing trade,
economic and broader political exchanges. As he put it to
me, " it is now time to take the initiative and push hard" to
develop our relationship to its full potential. Officials
from both countries will be working actively towards this
goal.
With Dr Mahathir, as has been reported, I had a very
amicable and productive conversation about a range of
economic and political issues, including the tensions which
had entered our bilateral relationship as a result of
Malaysian concerns about some reports and portrayals in the
Australian media. Both of us fully accepted that the role
of the free press in Australia was not at issue; my
Government regarded this as a fundamental feature of our
society and wou: ld not in any circumstances seek to undermine
it. But we also acknowledged that there were times when
inaccurate or distorted reports or portrayals were of such a
kind that it was proper for governments to dissociate
themselves from them, and we each agreed that we would be
prepared to do -this if the circumstances made this
appropriate. We agreed that our relationship was now fully
back to normal.
I had a valuable discussion with President Vassiliou about
the situation in Cyprus. I told him that I was greatly
looking forward to his visit to Australia later in the year.
I was also able to discuss the tragic situation in Sri Lanka
with the Sri Lankan representative in Harare. I have sincei
written to President Premadasa, who was unable to be present
at CHOGM, reaffirming to him my Government's support for a
Commonwealth good offices role in Sri Lanka, if that could
help to bring an end to the violence.
Mr Speaker
My short bilateral visit to Zimbabwe at the invitation of
President Mugabe was a particular pleasure for me. In part,
President Mugabe's invitation was a mark of appreciation for
the role which Australia played in the long and difficult
process of securing Zimbabwe's independence and I pay
tribute here to the part which my predecessor
Mr Malcolm Fraser played in this; for the support we
offered through our peacekeeping forces and election
observers in the transition period; and for our aid and
assistance in the immediate aftermath of independence and
since. I was able to discuss in a long meeting with
President Mugabe a range of regional and international
issues, including his views on the future of southern
Africa, as well. as developments inside Zimbabwe and our
bilateral relationship. I was heartened by the commitment
to multi-party democracy in Zimbabwe which President Mugabe
evinced in our discussions.
With the introduction of the Zimbabwe Government's
Structural Adjustment Program, Zimbabwe offers growing
opportunities for Australian trade and investment. I was
glad to obtain from President Mugabe his assurance that he
would take a personal interest in the negotiations at
present underway . between the Zimbabwe Government and a Delta
Gold BHP consortium for. a proposed platinum mining project
which would represent the largest single foreign investment
in Zimbabwe since independence.
Mr Speaker
It was a privilege for me to be able to see the ways in
which Australian aid, both official and non-official, is
helping Zimbabwe's development.
I visited a World Vision aid project in the UMP district of
Zimbabwe and saw at first hand the changes that this
relatively small project only $ 1.29 million of Australian
aid is bringing through practical improvements in water
supply, health and agriculture to a region where per capita
income is around $ 150 a year.
I was pleased also to be able to hand over to a Harare
Primary School a selection from thirty tonnes of school
books collected in Western Australia for Zimbabwe schools.
Both visits brought home very vividly to me and my staff, to
the accompanying members of the press, and to those
Australians who saw it on television here, just what a
difference modest amounts of aid can make in the daily lives
of people who are struggling to survive.
Australia's aid program will continue, properly, to be
directed primarily towards our own region of the world. But
I do not believe that Australians will ever want to turn our
backs on projects such as that in the UMP district, directed
towards the poorest and most marginalised of the world's
people. My Government will continue to maintain its support for this
project, and for others like it.
Mr Speaker
My visit to Zimbabwe and my attendance at the Commonwealth
Heads of Government Meeting were a reminder that Australia
is an important and well-respected member of an increasingly
inter-related and inter-dependent international community;
and that in such a world, policies of isolationism or narrow
regionalism will never be adequate to secure either this
country's security or its prosperity.