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PRIME MINISTER
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J KEATING, MP
LUNCH IN HONOUR OF PRIME MINISTER SITIVENI RABUKA OF FIJI
CANBERRA, 1 SEPTEMBER 1992
Prime Minister, Mrs Rabuka, Foreign Minister Bole, Your
Excellencies, distinguished guests.
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you, Prime
minister, on your first visit to Australia as Prime
Minister. Mrs Rabuka, I am also delighted to welcome you.
The friendship between our two countries is a tradition.
It is a friendship of trust and cooperation.
The formal relationship goes back to 1964 when
Australia's first post was established in Suva. This
became our High Commission upon your independence in
1970.
Our commercial and business connections go back much
further, to the last decades of the nineteenth century
when we were all. British colonies.
As a close neighbour, over the years we have watched your
development as an independent nation and major player in
South Pacific affairs.
Strong ties have evolved between us in so many areas.
They have stood the test of time, and the test of
politics and the test of rugby.
Prime Minister we followed Fiji's recent elections with
interest and we were impressed with your conciliato'ry
statements after your appointment.
Your Prime Ministership marks a new beginning in Fiji's
political life, and with it the new hope that accompanies
a renewal of representative and responsible government.
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It also marks the beginning of a new phase in our
relations. Relations between Australia and Fiji have been fully
normalised following our meeting in Honiara last July.
The final step in the process was our agreement to resume
defence links.
Australia looks forward to working with you once more to
strengthen the security of our region.
Security requires not only defence preparedness and
cooperation, but also internal security and domestic
stability.
We are greatly encouraged by the assurances you have
given that you are resolved to maintain dialogue with 811
communities in Fiji, and to further expand opportunities
and political participation.
Just as we welcome your commitment to national
reconciliation, we are impressed by your pursuit of
economic and trade reform.
We In Australia have been engaged in this process for a
decade. The effort to make Australia a more efficient and
competitive economy is not without its costs.
But the effort had to be made and we are now seeing
some of the benefits.
The Australian economy has been transformed: it is more
flexible, more open to the world, and much more oriented
to the Asia-PacifiC region where our future substantially
lies. Prime minister, in the last three years we have witnessed
a transformation in international affairs unequalled
since the end of World War 11.
Most nations are coming to realise that cooperation,
trust and closer integration provide the only sure road
to peace and prosperity.
Events in the Balkans, the Middle East and the Horn of
Africa confirm this by their tragic negative example.
Fiji has made an outstanding contribution to the cause of
international peace over many years and in many centres
of civil and international conflict.
Fijians have served witii distinction in peace-keeping
operations in Lebanon, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Namibia,
the Sinai and Iraq.
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On several occasions, Australian and Fijian troops and
personnel have served side by side.
In the United Nations and in other forumsf Fiji has
contributed as a responsible member of the international
community. In the Asia-Pacific region too, there is an opportunity
to constructively contribute to development and
prosperity.
We can only do so, however, in partnership.
After our discussions in Honiara and again this morning,
Prime Minister, I know that our relationship is renewed
on a basis of equality and respect.
In the years ahead it will be strengthened in such areas
as trade, development assistance and defence.
In whatever ways are practical, Australia is ready to
help Fiji achieve balanced, sustainable economic
development.
We will continue to cooperate in such multilateral bodies
as the South Pacific Forum, the South Pacific Commission
and United Nations.
Mr Prime Minister, let me say again how pleased I am to
welcome you and your party to Australia.
I trust that what remains of your stay will be pleasant
and productive.
I now invite Senator Robert Hill, representing the Leader
of the Opposition, to Join me in this welcome.
Thank you.
CANBERRA 1 September 1992