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SENATOR EVANS
WE DIDNT DISCUSS THE KRASNOYARSK SPEECH PROPOSAL. I AM NOT SURE WHAT THE THAIS HAVE SAID PUBLICALLY ABOUT THAT. WE HAVE ALREADY EXPRESSED SOME REACTION TO THAT IN PARTICULAR ON THE ISSUE OF A TRADE OFF BETWEEN CAMH RANH BAY AND THE PHILIPPINES BASES WHICH WE BELIEVE IS SOMEWHAT ASYMMETRICAL TO PUT IT MILDLY, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE OTHER ASPECTS OF THAT SPEECH THAT ARE CERTAINLY WORTH FURTHER STUDY. I DONT THINK WE HAVE ANY DIFFERENCE OF VIEW AS TO THE GENERAL SECURITY AND STRATEGIC SITUATION AROUND THE REGION. OBVIOUSLY WITH THE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES NOW DEMONSTRATING AN OVERT INTEREST IN THE SPRATLEYS, THAT WILL REMAIN A POTENTIALLY VOLATILE AREA OF CONCERN AND IT HAS BECOME APPARENT IN MY DISCUSSIONS RIGHT AROUND THE ASEAN REGION IN THE LAST FEW DAYS THAT THAT PERCEPTION IS GENERALLY SHARED BUT I DONT THINK YOU HAVE TO BE EINSTEIN TO SEE THAT. I THINK EVEYONE, HOWEVER, IS CONSCIOUS OF THE STAKES, SHOULD CONTROVERSY ERUPT AROUND THE SPRATLEYS AND THAT IS ITSELF THE BEST DISCIPLINE ON KEEPING THE ISSUE UNDER CONTROL IN THE YEARS AHEAD. CERTAINLY NO ONE IS ANTICIPATING ANY SHORT TO MEDIUM TERM PROBLEMS ARISING BUT IT IS OBVIOUSLY AN ISSUE THAT WE ALL HAVE TO WATCH.
ON THE CAMBODIAN COURSE OF EVENTS, OBVIOUSLY THAT IS ENORMOUSLY COMPLEX. THERE ARE FOUR OR FIVE SEPARATE GAMES RUNNING AT THE MOMENT, NOT LEAST THE SINO-SOVIET ONE. IT WAS REALLY A MATTER JUST OF EXCHANGING PERCEPTIONS ON THAT AS TO WHERE WE ARE ALL AT AND WHAT THE FUTURE COURSE OF THE JIM PROCESS IN PARTICULAR IS GOING TO BE, BUT AGAIN THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE OF PERCEPTION ON THAT TOPIC BETWEEN OURSELVES AND THAILAND.
QUESTION - INDISTINCT. FORCE)
(ON AUSTRALIA'S ROLE IN A PEACE KEEPING
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SENATOR EVANS
OBVIOUSLY WHENEVER YOU TALK ABOUT CAMBODIA THE QUESTION OF SOME KIND OF PEACE KEEPING FORCE TO HOLD THE RING IN THE FUTURE IS PART OF THE DISCUSSION. THE PROPOSALS ON THAT ARE STILL AT AN EARLY STAGE OF GESTATION. THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT CONCEPTS FLOATING AROUND. AUSTRALIA HAS BEEN MENTIONED AS A POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTOR TO THOSE FORCES IN PARTICULAR FORUMS, PARTICULAR DISCUSSIONS IN THE PAST. THAT DIDNT COME UP SPECIFICALLY TODAY, I THINK IT IS QUITE PREMATURE FOR US TO BE FOCUSSING ON THAT ISSUE AT THIS STAGE.
QUESTION – INDISTINCT (WHETHER AUSTRALIA WOULD SUPPORT MATERIALLY THE NON COMMUNIST RESISTANCE IN CAMBODIA)
SENATOR EVANS
WHAT SORT OF ASSISTANCE ARE, YOU TALKING ABOUT TO THE NON-COMMUNIST RESISTANCE FORCE.
QUESTION
WHATEVER, IN TERMS OF MONEY
SENATOR EVANS
AUSTRALIA IS NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF PROVIDING ANY KIND OF PHYSICAL ASSISTANCE TO ANY OF THE INTERNAL FORCES ON THE GROUND IN CAMBODIA