AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION
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No
vol
2-0.CH122186
AND I BELIEVE IS INCREASINGLY REALISING, IS THAT WITHIN THE REGION IN WHICH IT IS SITUATED IT LIVES IN A VERY COMPLEX PART OF THE WORLD. I SUSPECT THAT WE HAVE AN UNCOMPLICATED VIEW OF FOREIGN RELATIONS FOR AUSTRALIA., IN THE PAST WE HAVE TENDED TO RELY ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON GREAT POWER ALLIANCES AND FRIENDSHIPS. THE EVENTS IN RECENT YEARS HAVE STARTED TO TEAR THE SCALES OF INNOCENCE AWAY FROM OUR EYES. I THINK THAT IS NOWHERE MORE GRAPHICALLY ILLUSTRATED THAN THE SUDDEN SHOCK OF HAVING BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVE IN AUSTRALIA FROM VIETNAM, LARGE NUMBERS OF REFUGEES COMING FROM THAT COUNTRY TO OUR COUNTRY TO SETTLE. THAT I BELIEVE SHOULD HAVE DEMONSTRATED TO US BEYOND ANY DOUBT THAT INSTABILITY IN OUR ARCA HAS ENORMOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR OUR COUNTRY AND THEY ARE CONSEQUENCES WE CAN'T IGNORE AND CERTAINLY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO AVOID. SO THERE- FORE WHATEVER DEVELOPMENTS ARE TAKING PLACE WE HAVE GOT TO TAKE A KEEN INTEREST IN THEM AND ACCORDING TO THEIR NATURE AND POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS WE WOULD HAVE TO RESPOND. IT WAS IN THAT SENSE THAT I MENTIONED YESTERDAY THAT RELATIONS IN OUR REGION THEREFORE BECOME MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN ANZUS AND BY THAT I SIMPLY MEANT, AS I POINTED OUT YESTERDAY AND I WILL RESTATE AGAIN TODAY, THAT IF WE HAVE A STABLE POLITICAL SITUATION IN OUR REGION THEN THERE WILL BE MUCH LESS TENSION IN AUSTRALIA. MUCH LESS CONCERN OR EVEN INSECURITY. IF THERE IS A SERIOUSLY UNSTABLE SITUATION WHICH IS WORSENING THEN THAT HAS POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES FOR AUSTRALIA, WE WILL WORRY ABOUT WHAT ITS IMPLICATIONS ARE. SO IF WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT STAPILITY WE MUST ALSO BE CONCERNED ABOUT POLITICAL PROCESSES IN COUNTRIES, NOT INTRUSIVELY, BUT BE AWARE OF THEIR NATURE AND WHAT EFFECTS THEY MIGHT HAVE. WE MUST BE INTERESTED IN THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR REDISTRIBUTIONAL PROGRAMS AND IT REQUIRES ADDITIONALLY A MUCH BETTER INFORMED MIND ON THE PART OF AUSTRALIANS ABOUT THE CULTURE, THE HISTORY AND THE COMPLEXITY OF THE NATIONS WHICH ARE IN OUR REGION.
IT IS IN THAT SENSE THAT I HAVE UNDERTAKEN A SERIES OF INITIATIVES WHICH HAVE CLEARLY DESIGNED TO EMPHASISE A GENUINE CONCERN ABOUT THESE MATTERS AND A WISH FOR AUSTRALIA TO HAVE A MUCH MORE ACTIVE PRESENCE IN THE REGION, A CO-OPERATIVE PRESENCE AND I HOPE A PRODUCTIVE ONE. THE PURPOSE WILL BE OVER TIME TO ESTABLISH DY EXPERIENCE THE RIGHT OF AUSTRALIA, ITS ACCEPTANCE, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE REGION. WE CANNOT GO ON BELIEVING THAT WE WOULD ALWAYS RE HELD UP BY EUROPE OR NORTH AMERICA BECAUSE WE ARE EUROPEAN ETHNIC- ALLY, CULTURALLY, SOCIALLY, HISTORICALLY AND SO ON. IN FACT THE EVIDENCE IS THAT THE EUROPEANS AREN'T TERRIBLY SENTIMENTAL WHEN IT COMES TO COMMERCIAL MATTERS.
SO I AM NOW IN HONG KONG AND MY CONCERN HERE IS WHAT DOES 1997 MEAN WHEN THE ARRANGEMENTS, THE TREATY ARRANGEMENTS IN RESPECT OF HONG KONG, KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES, EXPIRE. THERE ARE FIVE AND A HALF MILLION PEOPLE HERE. IT IS A VITAL SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CENTRE IN THE WORLD AND PARTICULARLY IN OUR REGION. IT IS ONE OF THE MAJOR FINANCIAL CENTRES OF THE WORLD. IT IS, I SEEK TO RECALL,
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