BWAN942
DO GEE
Out-going cable to CANBERRA
Page
1
F2501614
0.BK99072 1557 28.10.88 UNC
TO.
II CANBERRA/6106
FM. BANGKOK / FA
UNCLASSIFIED
FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS BRANCH.
FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE MINISTER'S PRESS CONFERENCE IN BANGKOK AT NOON OCTOBER 28.
I WILL JUST TELL YOU QUICKLY THE SUBJECTS WE HAVE DEALT WITH AND THEN LEAVE IT TO YOU TO ASK ME QUESTIONS. I HAVE HAD TWO MEETINGS SO FAR TODAY. I HAVE STILL TO MEET THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE COMMERCE MINISTER, BUT I MET FOR AN HOUR WITH THE DEPUTY SUPREME COMMANDER, GENERAL PAT, OF THE ARMED FORCES; DISCUSSED A WHOLE VARIETY OF REGIONAL SECURITY ISSUES INCLUDING CAMBODIA, LAOS, BURMA, PHILIPPINES BASES, THE SPRATLEYS, INTER-RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE POLITICAL AND THE MILITARY ARMS AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THIS COUNTRY, CAMBODIAN BORDER CAMPS AND THINGS OF THAT KIND.
WITH FOREIGN MINISTER SIDDHI I WAS ASSURED A MEETING BUT WE ARE PICKING UP THEMES THAT WE HAD ALREADY DISCUSSED AT CONSIDERABLE LENGTH IN NEW YORK. WE DISCUSSED CURRENT PROGRESS ON THE CAMBODIAN ISSUE. WE DISCUSSED THE PROPOSAL FOR A BIG CONFERENCE ON THE RESOLUTION OF THE INDOCHINESE REFUGEES PROBLEM, THE PREPARATORY MEETINGS FOR WHICH ARE NOW PROCEEDING. A QUESTION HAS ARISEN ABOUT AUSTRALIA POSSIBLY BEING ASKED TO HOST THAT CONFERENCE IN AROUND ABOUT APRIL/MAY NEXT YEAR. NO FORMAL APPROACH HAS YET BEEN MADE BUT I INDICATE THAT WE WOULD BE PREPARED TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THAT IF AND WHEN THAT APPROACH WAS MADE.
ON THE QUESTION OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND THE REGIONAL INITIATIVE THE THAI GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED TO RECEIVE A TECHNICAL MISSION THAT WILL BE SENDING OFF AROUND THE REGION NEXT MONTH, IN COOPERATION AS I SAID IN JAKARTA WITH THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT, TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE AND TRY AND WRESTLE WITH SOME OF THE TECHNICALLY COMPLEX MATTERS THAT HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED. RAISE THE QUESTION OF AN EXTRADITION TREATY BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND THAILAND WHICH HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT BOGGED DOWN NOW ON TECHNICAL ARGUMENTS JUST TO SEE IF WE COULD BREAK THE LOG JAM ON THAT, AND I MADE QUITE A STRONG PITCH ON BEHALF OF AUSTRALIA FOR A SPEEDY RESOLUTION AND A FAVOURABLE RESOLUTION OF THE DIGITAL TRUNK NETWORK CONTRACT ISSUE WHICH HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING NOW FOR SOME MONTHS. AUSTRALIA DOES HAVE THE LOWEST PRICED CONFORMING TENDER, CONFORMING BOTH TECHNICALLY AND IN TERMS OF THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PACKAGE THAT GOES WITH IT AND WE BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD ACCORDINGLY GET THE CONTRACT, AND I THINK THAT IS ABOUT IT SO FAR AS THE RANGE OF ISSUES IS CONCERNED.
QUESTION
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS TO MAKE ON REPORTS IN THE PAPER TODAY THAT AUSTRALIA HAS NOT RECONSIDERED TEMPORARY RESIDENCE BASE FOR THE
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