TRlANSCRIPT OF NEWS CONFERENCE, HYDE PARK HOTEL, LONDON, 23
JUNE 1989
E & O0E -PROOF ONLY
JOURNALIST: Mr Hawke have you achieved anything so far on
this trip?
PH: well reading the Press, reading our Australian Press,
you'd doubt it but of course as usual you are wrong. We've
achieved a lot, yes.
JOURNALIST: What?
PH: We have achieved I think an enormous increase in
interest in Australia within the business community. T base
that on the fact that I was able to move around yesterday
amongst a lot of business leaders and there is no doubt that
this was rnot a conference yesterday that you often have ok
you meet today, say nice things and exchange platitudes then
off you go and forget it. I mean there is a reality and a
constructiveness, a nitty grittiness about not only the
formal conference sessions but behind the scenes which I
think is going to mean two things an increase in British
investment and joint enterprise interest in Australia and
from the Australian point of view I think an increased
awareness of the opportunities for activities here in Britain
and from Britain as a spring board into the 320 million
market of the post ' 92 Europe. So I think that's very
important. In the area of the political discussions with Mrs
Thatcher we I think were able to get common ground of a
number of issues while still maintaining areas where we are
not at one. We are not at one on the issue of the Antarctic
obviously, but I think I was able to get into the mind of Mrs
Thatcher the reality of our position, what we're about, and
that doesn't mean in any sense that I've made the decision
that I think she's going to change her mind in the near
future. But I think we've established in the mind of Mrs
Thatcher and those around her an understanding of what we're
about and that's a plus. We had a very interesting
discussion for instance on the South Pacific nuclear free
zone and I'm certain that in that area that there is a
clearer understanding of the compatibility of that Treaty
-2-
( PM cont) with the alliance relationships and obligations
that we have and of the very strong case there is for the
adherence to the protocols of that Treaty by Britain in that
such adherence would strengthen the attitude of the Pacific
island nation states towards our general view of the world
and they see a position perhaps somewhat simplistically.
They see the position where the Soviet Union and China have
adhered to the protocols. The rest of the nations haven't
and I think that I have been able to show to Mrs Thatcher and
those around her that this area is one of less stability.
This region is one of less stability than it was in the
beginning of the ' 80s and it is to our interest to have a
greater degree of understanding by these island nations of
our position and that adherence to the protocols would assist
that. Now let me make it clear. I'm not saying again that I
think that Britain is tomorrow going to adhere to the
0 parnodt oac oslesr iobuust cIo dnos ibdeelriaetvieon thofa t outrh e pcohsaintcieosn hoafs thbaeten happening
increased. ITf you look at the question of China I think we
are essentially at one on what we see as the appropriate
approach there. I think there is an acceptance by the
British of the sort of position I outlined and that is and I
repeat it, we are not at length because you know it, but
firstly we have to be unequivocal in our condemnation of
what's happened and of the brutal repression and executions
that are going on and also see if we can adopt a position
which-will ensure as far as possible a continuation of. the
processes of economic reform. Now we understand, I
understand, I'm sure Mrs Thatcher does, that that's a very,
very difficult line that you have to walk and r don't pretend
it's going to be easy but I'm sure that in the interests of
the people of China, the ordinary people of China and the
Interests of the region, that that's the sort of thing we
have to do. so that was a very, very useful discussion.
We've also had useful discussions about the developments in
Sdisarmament processes between the Super Powers and what'* s
Wgoing here in Europe. We've certainly been given a clear
understanding of the perceptions of the British in that area.
Now obviously that doesn'It cover everything. I've been with
you before about the detailed range of issues we've covered.
But I think it is the case that the general relationship
between Britain and Australia is now on a very, very much
more substantial footing. I mean I think you will have
noticed if you had the opportunity of talking to industrial
leaders, political leaders here that the visit has gone very,
very well. There has been a very good reception to the sorts
of things I've had to say both in the speech I made at
Mansion House and in the discussions that we've had. There's
a pretty tough assessment on both sides, understanding
that there are points of difference between us but
understanding that there is a hell of a lot that we can do
-3-
( PM. cont) together to advance the interests of our
individual countries and importantly the interests of the
fundamental values that we share.
JOURNALIST: Looking forward to Washington, are you throwing
in the towel on the EEP?
PM: It's not a question of throwing in the towel. What
you've got to do in your negotiations with any country and
including the United States if you're going to properly
represent the interests of your own, is to make sure that you
do put clearly to the country you're visiting the areas of
concern that you have, including where there are differences
of opinion or differences of interpretation, IVll do that.
I'm not going to allow, as I said just before I left
Australia, I'm not going to allow the issue of the EEP to
dominate the visit or to mar the possibilities of advancing
our interests, our regional interests and global interests,
by just allowing that to dominate the discussions. There are
differences of estimate on this issue, we'll talk about
those. I think the important point to make is that at the
present time and in the immediate future because of the
lessening of world wheat stocks and the movement in prices
in the period immediately ahead, Australia is not going to be
adversely effected to the extent it has been in the past and
that gives us in a sense coincidentally an opportunity to
work with the United States in the period leading to the end
of the Uruguay Round negotiations because we are totally at
one the United States and ourselves in saying that
subsidies, agricultural subsidies, projected over into the
export area are against the interests of the world trading
system. They are committed with us to changing that
position. so the negotiation period takes us up to the end
of 1990 and in that period I don't believe that the EEP is
going to have the sort or adverse effect it has had in the
past. So what we ought to be doing is stating the
differences we have to the extent that they exist about past
impact but using this period where we're not going to be
W significantly adversely effected, to use that period where we
are at one to try and get a position under the negotiating
round of the Uruguay processes the GATT processes to try
and reach agreement to have an elimination of these
processes. That's how immediate and long term permanent
interests are going to be best served.
JOURNALIST: My final question. Could you comment on the
cruel Ablett hoax that's been played on Senator Button?
PM: it has been a matter of extreme sadness for me to see
how this otherwise dynamic, ideas driven Minister of mine has
been reduced sadly to rnot a tearful figure other people
have a monopoly on that sort of position but sadness of the
dimension which I find impossible to convey. But in the end
one realises that he is a man of enormous fortitude, hidden
strength and he is going to survive. I mean I can assure all
our supporters in Australia who I know would be very, very
worried about whether he was just going to throw in the towel
as it were or the whole bloody bed linen, I mean he is not.
Hie's exhibiting great strength but as you would know from the
way he's conducted himself in the internal affairs of the
Labor Party over the years, he's a man who has a very, very
long memory and I would suggest any who've been associated
with this vile as he sees it decision should watch their
backs because the Little General is a man as I say of long
memory and as you will appreciate a capacity to change the
course of events.
ends