;-、.;
35.
I FIND IT NECESSARY AS COORDINATOR FOR THE ASEAN/ AUSTRALIA DIALOGUE, AFTER THOROUGH DISCUSSIONS WITH MY ASEAN COLLEAGUES TO PUT THIS UNFORTUNATE EPISODE INTO ITS PROPER PERSPECTIVE TO
LLOW FOR MEANINGFUL AND RATIONAL DISCUSSIONS. WE IN ASEAN READILY ACCEPT THE PROPOSITION THAT EVEN AMONG FRIENDS THERE MAY BE DIFFERENCES IN APPROACH SO LONG AS THEY SHARE THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES AND VALUES THAT BRING THEM TOGETHER AS DIALOGUE PARTNERS IN THE FIRST PLACE. ON THE QUESTION OF THE KAMPUCHEAN PROBLEM I AM AFRAID THAT ON THE BASIS OF MR. HAYDEN'S UN STATEMENT IT CERTAINLYCANNOT BE SAID THAT AUSTRALIA IS WITH ASEAN SHARING ITS CONCERNS, HOPES, AND ASPIRATIONS WHEN THERE ARE DIFFERENCES OVER FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES AND VALUES BETWEEN THEM.
36. I SHOULD LIKE TO ADD FURTHER THAT WE IN ASEAN HOLD THE HIGHEST RESPECT FOR AUSTRALIA AS A DIALOGUE PARTNER AND RECOGNISE AUSTRALIA'S RIGHT AS AN INDEPENDENT AND SOVEREIGH STATE TO HAVE ITS OWN OPINION AND TO TAKE WHATEVER DECISION IT WISHES CONSISTENT WITH ITS OWN GOALS AND REQUIREMENTS.
37. TO CONCLUDE THIS RATHER BRIEF ANALYSIS OF GREAT POWER DYNAMICS I WOULD SAY THAT RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RELATIONSHIPS OF THE THREE PRINCIPAL ACTORS ON THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE OFFER BOTH CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO THE THREE PARTIES CONCERNED AS WELL AS TO THE REST OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. WHAT IS CLEARLY EMERGING IS A NEW CONFIGURATION IN THE GREAT POWER RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE BOUND TO BE FELT BY THEIR FRIENDS AS WELL AS STHEIR AD VERSARIES. THIS EMERGING PATTERN CLEARLY INDICATES THE PIVOTAL POSITION OF CHINA IN THE SUPER POWER EQUILIBRIUM OR DISEQUILIBRIUM THAT MIGHT FOLLOW.
38. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CHINA FACTOR IN THE SUPER POWER RELATIONSHIPS BECAME APPARENT IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE COLLAPSE OF DETENTE THAT LED TO THE RENEWED ARMS RACE BETWEEN THE SOVIET UNION AND THE UNITED STATES THEREBY AFFECTING THE DELICATE EQUILIBRIUM THAT HAD EXISTED BETWEEN THEM. IN THE CURRENT GLOBAL STRATEGIC EQUATION THE SOVIET UNION PERCEIVES ITSELF TO BE IN AN UNFAVOURABLE POSITION. THE WESTERN ALLIANCE "APPEARS TO BE IN-SOUND SHAPE UNDER THE ROBUSH LEADERSHIP OF PRESIDENT REAGEN WHO COULD COUNT ON ALL OF HIS ALLIES WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN. THE SOLIDARITY OF THE WESTERN ALLIANCE HAS BEEN AMPLY DEMONSTRATED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS SUCH AS FOR INSTANCE DURING THE FALKLAND CRISIS AND BY BRITAIN'S AND GERMANY'S WILLINGNESS TO THE STATIONING OF THE CRUISE AND PERSHING MISSILES ON THEIR SOIL DESPITE SOME VOCAL OPPOSITION. EVEN THE FRENCH LONG OUTSIDE OF THE NATO INTEGRATED COMMAND, HAVE INDICATED THAT THEIR NUCLEAR ARSENAL WILL HAVE TO RECKONED WITH BY THE SOVIET UNION IN AN ALL-OUT EAST-WEST SHOW-DOWN.