E&OE....................
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, what are the likelihood of troops being sent into East
Timor?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well it's entirely premature for anybody to be talking about that,
we have a combat readiness. I certainly hope that that won't be necessary.
You must remember of course that troops can only enter a foreign country
in two ways, they only enter by invitation or by invasion and we certainly
have no intention of invading any country, so I think we have to keep
the whole thing in perspective.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Downer seems to think it might be a good thing to do after or during
the transition period, I should say..
PRIME MINISTER:
I've read what Mr Downer said and I know exactly what he said and
the point I'm making is that Australian troops would only go somewhere
as a result of an invitation.
JOURNALIST:
But if they are invited into East Timor, if it did vote for independence,
would the Australian Government be happy to do that?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well that is something that we'll deal with if and when it arrises.
The important thing for a country like Australia to do is to be ready,
which we are, to offer the help that we are through the civilian police,
offer the aid which we are and then deal with each development as
and when it comes.
JOURNALIST:
In the meantime what about the safety of the civil police there now
from Australia and other countries, is it time to arm those police
given the unrest?
PRIME MINISTER:
The constant advice we've had Fran is that arming them would make
them more likely targets. That matter was discussed extensively. I
had the same view as you apparently have and the question implies
but the advice that I had from the Federal Police, from the Head of
the Defence Force and from the Intelligence Services was that past
experience in other countries indicated that if you arm people, even
side arms, they're far more likely to come under attack and we accepted
that advice and we just have to keep the situation under constant
monitoring. It's dangerous, I've never disguised that fact and we
certainly hope they don't come to any harm but the strong advice we
have is that if you arm them you make them more likely targets.
JOURNALIST:
Did you in your talks last night with Mr Obuchi raise any specific
trade issues, any specific trade problems between the two Nations?
PRIME MINISTER:
There was what I might call a passing reference to the issues of rice
and tuna, the rice issue has been dealt with in the sense that a decision
was taken by Japan and there are certain other discussions and processes
and our position in relation to tuna is well known. Those issues were
touched upon but they weren't the dominant issues. The dominant trade
issue for Australia and Japan is the upcoming APEC meeting and then
going on from APEC the need to have an effective and comprehensive
round through the world trade organisation.
JOURNALIST:
What are the implications for Australian farmers if Japan doesn't
keep its market open?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we obviously want open markets all around the world. We want
an open lamb market in the United States, we want open markets in
Japan. We have done quite well over the last few years in winning
access to markets previously closed. For a nation of 18.5 million
people who has the most efficient farmers in the world, we have a
clear national interest in prizing open markets and when we've prized
them open keeping them open.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard you also discussed China no doubt, how much concern is it
to the two nations that now one member of APEC Papua New Guinea has
recognised Taiwan?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well that particular issue was not discussed I don't recall, Mr Downer
has expressed a view on behalf of the Australian Government regarding
it and I agree with what Mr Downer said.
JOURNALIST:
Are we coming under pressure from China over this to put pressure
on PNG?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I haven't felt any pressure, I'm not aware of any pressure. We
have a one China policy. We have a good understanding with China.
It doesn't prevent commercial links between Australia and Taiwan but
it does recognise the sovereignty of the Government in Beijing and
we won't in any way depart from that. I want to make that very clear
that we remain very strongly committed to the one China policy. That
has been Australian government policy now for a number of years and
there won't be any departure from it but there is nothing inconsistent
with that in us having strong commercial links with Taiwan.
Thank you.
[ends]