TNAG-2613-FCO40-3804-International-support-from-Australia-and-New-Zealand-regardi-1992 — Page 13

IMPORT FIRST

INWARD CABLEGRAM

ACTION: EAB COPY NO. 1

13-0.LH157554

I'M NOT SURE THAT OUR FUTURE IN ASIA DEPENDS ON THE CONTINUING ABSENTMINDEDNESS BY BRITAIN ABOUT THE REGION AND I THINK WE ARE PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF MAKING OUR OWN WAY THERE WHETHER BRITAIN IS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IS THE REGION OR NOT. AND THAT IS TRUE ALSO OF THE POSITION WITH THE UNITED STATES. AUSTRALIA HAS IN MANY WAYS BEEN LEADING THE DEBATE IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION. I DON'T WANT TO OVER-EXAGGERATE, BUT WE WERE THE INITIATORS OF THE ASIA PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION PROCESS, WHICH DESPITE QUITE A LOT OF INITIAL SCEPTICISM HAS WITHIN THE SPACE OF THREE YEARS BECOME UNQUESTIONABLY THE MAJOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION ORGANISATION IN THE REGION AND ONE THAT HOPEFULLY WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT NOW OF THE PERMANENT SECRETARIAT AND THE ADOPTION OF A STRONG TRADE LIBERALISATION AGENDA, WILL GO ON FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH. WE'VE BEEN ACTIVE IN HELPING TO RESOLVE THE REGION'S MOST INTRACTABLE SECURITY PROBLEM, THE SITUATION IN CAMBODIA. WE HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN STIMULATING DEBATE, DIALOGUE, WITHIN THE REGION ON THE WHOLE QUESTION OF THE LONG-TERM SECURITY FUTURE OF THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION, AND THE DESIRABILITY OF A NEW APPROACH BASED ON INTERDEPENDENCE, COMMON SECURITY IF YOU LIKE, RATHER THAN JUST ALLIANCE RELATIONSHIPS AS BEING THE KEY TO GUARANTEEING THAT FUTURE SECURITY. WE'VE BEEN A VERY ACTIVE, AND VERY VISIBLE, VERY ENGAGED PLAYER IN THE REGION, AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S BEEN IN ANY WAY A FUNCTION OF THE PREOCCUPATIONS OF OTHERS.

(TEXT ENDS)

CM. PAYNE 8202

AC.

AMENDED DIST.

ACTION: DEP FOREIGN + TRADE<

MIN FOREIGN + TRADE< ONA<

MIN TDE OSEAS DEVT<

DEP P M AND CABINET<

IMPORT FIRST

/14

DIPLOMATIC COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK