E&OE...............................................
JOURNALIST:
Are you trying to persuade Janette to take up the offer of a holiday
in Merimbula next year?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I will discuss it with her but you know there is that strong
Hawks Nest claim, but this is a terrific spot and I will certainly
put it on the table.
JOURNALIST:
The situation in the Gulf, we have Cabinet meeting tomorrow, how important
is it for Australia to get involved in a possible strike against that
country?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well the important thing is not to get involved, as such, the important
thing is to share with the United States, if that is our wish, the
responsibility for seeing that the retention of weapons of mass destruction
is not allowed. I mean, what's at stake here is not whether or
not one gets involved but whether people who want to store and potentially
use weapons of mass destruction should be allowed to get away with
it. And that's the issue that has to be considered, not only
by Australia, but by a large number of other countries.
JOURNALIST:
Iraqi diplomats today, pointed out that such a strike has not been
sanctioned by the UN, is that another consideration for Cabinet tomorrow?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't share that interpretation. There's plenty of views
around suggesting that the resolutions, already passed by the United
Nations, constitute sufficient authority or action. However, I am
hopeful that this can be settled peacefully. If the Iraqi leadership
were to bend and to allow inspection of these sites then the use of
force would not be necessary. And after all, the Iraqi leadership
promised in 1991, that inspections of this kind would be allowed and
all the Iraqi Government has to do is to keep the commitment it made
in 1991.
JOURNALIST:
Do you think there is a danger that we could be over-reacting, perhaps,
like we did last time?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, we didn't over-react last time, not at all. I don't
accept that we over-reacted last time at all. I thought, what was
done last time was correct, and it was proportionate and it was in
no way an over-reaction. The Iraqis were given all the warning in
the world to vacate Kuwait and the leadership refused to do so and
that inflicted a terrible cost on the Iraqi population. I don't
think we are over-reacting. You are dealing here with the foulest,
possible material which can cause devastation on millions of people
if it is unleashed. You are not dealing here with somebody who is
just being difficult, you are dealing here with somebody who doesn't
recognise the norms of the civilised world.
JOURNALIST:
Australia is a long way from Iraq, do you think Australians appreciate
the threat that you obviously see?
PRIME MINISTER:
I think Australians do not want to see a world in which people can
get away with manufacturing, storing and having the capacity to deliver
foul, chemical and biological warfare against neighbouring countries
which could, if unchecked, cause the deaths of hundreds of thousands,
if not millions, of people. That's something that I think you
have to understand no matter where you live. The world is a very small
place when it comes to the capacity to deliver, on anybody, that kind
of material.
JOURNALIST:
A woman I was sitting with here tonight, her son has just finished
a tour of duty in the navy and he is still eligible for recall, she
tells me that he is worried sick that tomorrow you might go with the
United States and what would happen to him?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I can't comment on individual cases, you appreciate that.
Governments have to take decisions based upon what they think is in
the national interest and we will take a decision and we will take
everything into account.
JOURNALIST:
Do mothers have that to fear for their sons again?
PRIME MINISTER:
That is a very understandable thing and anybody in my position understands
that and it is something we take into account but the history of the
world, particularly in the 20th century, is such that if you don't
take account of the behaviour of people who get away with unreasonable
behaviour, if you imagine, by giving in to people who behave unreasonably,
you induce them to behave reasonably in the future, you are always
wrong.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Zammit, today, launched a fairly personal attack on you, Mr Howard,
are you disappointed that he should show such a lack of loyalty?
PRIME MINISTER:
I am disappointed that he has let his own electorate down because
there are fewer planes over Lowe and there is less noise over his
electorate now than when my Government was returned.
[Ends]