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BLACK BROTHERS BAND?
SENATOR EVANS
I CAN'T CONFIRM THAT BECAUSE I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY OFFICIAL CABLES YET TODAY BUT THAT WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE KIND OF APPROACH WE HAVE ADOPTED TO THIS. WE HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY TRYING FOR SOME WEEKS NOW, AS I HAVE TOLD YOU AT AN EARLIER MEETING, TO SEEK A RESOLUTION OF THIS ISSUE AND TO ASSIST THE VANUATU GOVERNMENT AND I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF THAT WERE THE SITUATION, BUT I AM NOT IN A POSITION TO CONFIRM IT.
QUESTION
IS IT LIKELY TO BE NEUTRAL TO AUSTRALIA/INDONESIA RELATIONS?
SENATOR EVANS
WELL IT WAS DISCUSSED AT VERY CONSIDERABLE LENGTH BETWEEN MYSELF AND FOREIGN MINISTER ALATAS AND TO A LESSER EXTENT WITH GENERAL MUDANI. I THINK, I HOPE THE INDONESIAN POSITION WILL BE ONE OF UNDERSTANDING IN THIS RESPECT BUT I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT AUSTRALIA IS BY NO MEANS COMMITTED TO RETAINING THESE PEOPLE PERMANENTLY, THAT WE SIMPLY ARE WANTING TO HELP RESOLVE A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION IN TERMS OF CONTINUING DETENTION OF THESE PEOPLE IN VANUATU, BUT ALSO TO HELP THE VANUATU GOVERNMENT RESOLVE A VERY DIFFICULT PROBLEM BY GETTING THEM OUT OF THAT COUNTRY. OUR HOPE REMAINS THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO FIND AN APPROPRIATE HOME FOR THESE PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE REGION ENTIRELY AND WE WILL CERTAINLY CONTINUE TO ACTIVELY PURSUE THAT.
QUESTION
WILL YOU BE CONTACTING MR ALATAS TO EXPLAIN AUSTRALIA'S POSITION NOW THAT THIS HAS COME OUT PUBLICLY?
SENATOR EVANS
IF IT BECOMES NECESSARY TO DO SO AND IF THAT DOES PROVE TO BE AUSTRALIA'S POSITION - YES, BUT I THINK THAT MR ALATAS AND THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT DOES UNDERSTAND THE REGIONAL DIMENSIONS OF THIS ISSUE AND I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF IT BECAME IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE ANY SIGNIFICANT CAUSE FOR DIFFICULTY IN OUR RELATIONSHIP.
QUESTION
THE PROPOSAL FOR AUSTRALIA TO HOST THE PREPARATORY CONFERENCE WHERE'S THAT COMING FROM AND WHAT WILL ACTUALLY BE INVOLVED?
SENATOR EVANS
WELL ITS A DIFFERENT STREET OF PREPARATORY CONFERENCE IN THE FINAL CONFERENCE. ITS THE FINAL CONFERENCE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE SOME FURTHER PROPOSAL TO HOST SOME OF THE PREPARATORY MEETINGS THAT RUN UP TO IT. AUSTRALIA'S REACTION TO THIS WOULD DEPEND ON A NUMBER OF THINGS. FIRST OF ALL BEING SURE THAT WE WERE IN FACT WANTED AS THE HOST OF THE CONFERENCE AND THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN. THERE ARE STILL A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES OBVIOUSLY THAT NEED TO BE CONSULTED IN THAT RESPECT. WE WOULD NEED TO BE CONFIDENT THAT THERE WAS LIKELY TO BE SOME EFFECTIVE OUTCOME TO THE CONFERENCE. WE WOULD NEED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THE TIMING OF
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