PRIME MINISTER

PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH NOTES -  INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

AND DISARMAMENT

CHOGM, NEW DELHI, 2 3  NOVEMBER 1 9 8 3  _ _  __ _______________ . T he a r m s r a c e  h a s  r e a c h e d  a l a r m in g  p r o p o r t io n s ' -

$ 7 0 0  B IL L IO N  PER YEAR.

-  IT  IS  GRAVELY THREATENING EVERYBODY'S SECURITY.

ARMED CONFLICT CONTINUES IN MANY PARTS OF THE

WORLD, THERE ARE 10 M IL L IO N  REFUGEES AS A RESULT

OF SUCH CONFLICT.

-  IT  IS  A SCANDALOUS WASTE OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND

i n g e n u i t y . Ec o n o m ic  g r o w th, j o b s , a n d  e c o n o m ic

DEVELOPMENT ARE BEING M ATERIALLY SET BACK BY

. EXPENDITURE ON ARMS.

-  T h e Se c r e t a r y -G e n e r a l  h a s s p o k e n  o f t h e  $1 m i l l i o n

SPENT EACH MINUTE ON ARMS. My CALCULATION IS  THAT

THE EXPENDITURE IS  NEARER TO $ 1 , 3 m . BUT NONE OF US

NEED TO BE TOLD HOW MUCH $1 M IL L IO N  PER MINUTE COULD

. PRODUCE IN TERMS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE

LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES.

. E ast/ west tension is  alarmingly h ig h .

-  ARMS CONTROL NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE SUPER POWERS

ARE IN D IF F IC U L T Y .

-  TH EIR RELATIONSHIP IS  PERMEATED WITH SU S P IC IO N .

-  T h e r h e t o r ic  i s  v e r y  d a n g e r o u s .

- B ut we s h o u l d  n o t b e  o v e r w h e l m e d  b y  a s e n s e  of

GLOBAL PESSIMISM OR OF IMMINENT DISASTER.

2.

c

. I t w o u ld b e  s t e r i l e  to s e e k  to a p p o r t io n  b l a m e , b u t

A u s t r a l i a  d o e s n o t s u b s c r ib e  t o  t h e  v ie w  t h a t  t h e

Un it e d  St a t e s  b e a r s  t h e  g r e a t e s t  r e s p o n s i b i l i t y

FOR THE PRESENT D IF F IC U L T IE S  BETWEEN THE SUPER POWERS,

-  We s t e r n  s o c i e t i e s  a r e  o p e n , De b a t e  t a k e s  p l a c e

AND T H IS  EXPOSES THEIR CONCERNS FAR MORE THAN IS

THE CASE IN THE SO VIET UNION.

-  I t m u s t a l s o  b e  r e c o g n is e d  t h a t  t h e  So v i e t  Un io n

IS  PURSUING AN ARMAMENTS PROGRAM OF UNPRECEDENTED .

' PROPORTIONS,

- M y o w n . c o n t a c t s  a t  t h e  h ig h e s t  l e v e l s  o f t h e  Un it e d

St a t e s  Ad m i n i s t r a t i o n  h a v e  l e f t  me i n  no d o u b t  t h a t  t h a t

Ad m i n i s t r a t i o n  i s  u t t e r l y  s in c e r e  in  w a n t in g  to s t o p

THE ARMS RACE.

, A u s t r a l i a  d o e s n o t a c c e p t  t h a t  t h e  n u c l e a r  w e a p o n s s t a t e s

a l o n e  s h o u l d  h a v e  t h e  r ig h t  t o  d e t e r m in e  t h e s e  i s s u e s .

-  T h e i r  c a l c u l a t io n s  ^  t h e i r  m i s c a l c u l a t i o n s  -  c o u l d

AFFECT US ALL OR E LIM IN A TE  US A L L ,

. T h e Au s t r a l i a n  Go v e r n m e n t d o e s  n o t  c o n s id e r  t h a t

UNILATERAL DISARMAMENT WOULD BE AN EFFECTIVE WAY IN

BRINGING ABOUT AN END TO THE ARMS RACE,

, Wh a t  i s  r e q u ir e d  a r e  r e a l i s t i c , c o n c r e t e  a n d  b a l a n c e d

p r o p o s a l s  w h ic h  h a v e  a t  t h e i r  h e a r t  a  r e c o g n it io n  of

t h e  n a t io n a l  s e c u r it y  in t e r e s t s  in v o l v e d .

.. j

A u s t r a l i a ' s s e c u r it y  in t e r e s t s  r e q u ir e  c o l l e c t iv e

ARRANGEMENTS FOR OUR DEFENCE,

-  WE HAVE SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT IN  T H E -ANZUS A LLIA N C E ,

COLLECTIVE SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS ARE SANCTIONED

b y  t h e  Ch a r t e r  o f t h e  Un i t e d  Na t i o n s ,

M y Go v e r n m e n t h a s  c l a r i f i e d  t h e  n a t u r e  o f t h e  ANZUS

A l l i a n c e  a n d  t h i s  h a s  b e e n  a c c e p t e d  b y  t h e  t h r e e  t r e a t y

PARTNERS.

A CONSEQUENCE OF OUR SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS UNDER ANZUS

IS  THE PRESENCE ON AUSTRALIAN S O IL OF JO IN T  F A C IL IT IE S ,

-  THESE PLAY A P O S IT IV E  ROLE IN  M AIN TAIN IN G  WESTERN

SECURITY.

-  THEY ARE ALSO ABLE TO VE R IFY ARMS CONTROL AND

DISARMAMENT AGREEMENTS,

-  WE ALREADY HAVE AND ARE DEVELOPING FURTHER A S E IS M IC

MONITORING CAPACITY WITH REGARD TO NUCLEAR TE STIN G ,

WE HAVE.GREATLY ELEVATED. ARMS CONTROL AND DISARMAMENT

GOALS W ITHIN OUR FOREIGN POLICY

-  WE ARE A MEMBER OF EVERY M ULTILATERAL DISARMAMENT

NEGOTIATING BODY,

-  IN THOSE BODIES WE ARE PROMOTING THE NEGOTIATION OF

TREATIES TO END NUCLEAR TE S TIN G , TO BAN CHEMICAL

WEAPONS, AND TO PREVENT AN ARMS RACE IN OUTER SPACE.

I n  t h e  w id e r  p o l i t i c a l  a r e n a  we a r e  u r g in g  b o t h  s u p e r

...POWERS TO..m o d e r a t e  t h e i r  ANTAGONISMi TO IMPROVE

UNDERSTANDING AND TO SEEK AN END TO AND A REDUCTION OF

THEIR NUCLEAR ARMS RACE.

A u s t r a l i a ' s d is a r m a m e n t  o b j e c t i v e s  a r e  g u id e d  b y  t h e

FOLLOWING GENERAL PR IN CIPLES -

-  SECURITY FOR ALL STATES AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE

LEVEL OF ARMAMENT

-  S T A B IL IT Y  IN THE NUCLEAR BALANCE

-  ADEQUATE V E R IF IC A T IO N  OF DISARMAMENT AGREEMENTS,

IN L IN E  WITH THESE OBJECTIVES WE ARE ATTACHING A PARTICULAR

P R IO R ITY  TO EFFORTS AIMED AT SECURING NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT

THROUGH REDUCTIONS IN THE NUCLEAR ARSENALS (AS FOR EXAMPLE

Â»THROUGH THE START AND -INF N E G O TIA TIO N S ), UPHOLDING OF THE

IN TE R N A TIO N A L NON-PROLIFERATION REGIME, AND CONCLUSION OF

COMPLETE BAN ON NUCLEAR TESTIN G .

I n  a d d i t i o n  A u s t r a l i a  h a s  p r o p o s e d  t o  i t s  So u t h  Pa c i f i c

PARTNERS THE P O S S IB IL IT Y  OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A

NUCLEAR FREE ZONE IN THE SOUTH WEST P A C IF IC

-  T H IS  IS  SOMETHING THAT CAN ONLY BE DEVELOPED ON THE

B A S IS  OF AGREEMENT AMONGST THOSE PARTNERS

-  WE HOPE IT  WOULD PROVIDE FOR THE BANNING OF A LL

NUCLEAR TESTING AND DUMPING OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS

IN THE REGION, AND INVOLVE A REGION-WIDE COMMITMENT

TO THE NON-PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS,

T he s t a r t in g  p o in t  i s  t o  r e d u c e  t h e  s i z e  o f b o t h  n u c l e a r

AND CONVENTIONAL ARSENALS AND BRINGING THEM UNDER THE

CONTROL OF V E R IF IA B LE  AND EFFECTIVE AGREEMENTS,

Ad e q u a t e  a n d  e f f e c t i v e  p r o v i s io n  fo r v e r i f i c a t i o n  i s

THE CRUCIAL PRECONDITION OF PROGRESS IN T H IS  AREA

-  IF  ANY AGREEMENT IS  TO COMMAND CONFIDENCE, GROUNDS

OF SUSPICION OF NON-COMPLIANCE MUST BE E LIM IN A TE D ,

A u s t r a l i a  w o u ld w is h  t o  e n c o u r a g e  a n d  s u p p o r t  a c t io n

IN T H IS  F IE LD

-  FOR EXAMPLE, IN CONSIDERING A U S T R A LIA 'S  OWN C A P A B IL IT IE S

WE ARE AC TIVELY EXAMINING THE P O S S IB IL IT Y  OF IMPROVING

A u s t r a l i a ' s c a p a c it y  ÃÂ ÃÂ¿  m o n it o r  n u c l e a r  e x p l o s io n s  b y

FURTHER J)Â£VELQP I NG 0 UR SETSMIC MON I TOR ING C A PA BTLITY ,

THE PROBLEM OF PROLIFERATION IS  MORE D IF F IC U L T ,

T h e r e  i s  no f o o l - p r o o f m e a n s  o f p r e v e n t in g  t h e

PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES BUT AUSTRALIA IS  AMONG

THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT THE PROCESS CAN AND SHOULD BE SLOWED

AND THE COSTS TO THE PROLIFERATOR INCREASED.

IT  IS  PERHAPS ENCOURAGING THAT IN MOST NON-NUCLEAR

WEAPONS STATES, PARTICULARLY DEVELOPED ONES, THE PERCEIVED

M IL IT A R Y , P O LIT IC A L AND ECONOMIC U T IL IT Y  OF NUCLEAR

EXPLOSIVES HAS BEEN IN DECLINE SINCE THE 1960s.

-  AS AGAINST T H IS , C IV IL  NUCLEAR PROGRAMS ARE

INCREASINGLY INVOLVED WITH TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE

IMPORTANT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES.

-V

6,

I n  t h e  c o n t e x t  o f t h e  n o n - p r o l if e r a t io n  o f n u c l e a r

WEAPONS AN ISSUE OF PARTICULAR CONCERN TO AUSTRALIA IS  THE

p o s it i o n  o f So u t h A f r i c a .

-  t h e  a p a r t h e id  s y s t e m  i s  t o t a l l y  u n j u s t

-  IT  WOULD BE UTTERLY UNACCEPTABLE IF  APARTHEID WERE

TO BECOME NUCLEAR ARMED

-  WE MUST A LL ENSURE THAT T H IS  DOES NOT OCCUR.

T he NPT m u s t  r e m a in  a  c o r n e r - s t o n e  o f in t e r n a t io n a l

EFFORT TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

-  A u s t r a l i a  i s  a  s t r o n g  s u p p o r t e r  o f t h i s  v i t a l  t r e a t y

AND IT S  ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS OF V E R IF IC A T IO N ,

B u t A u s t r a l i a  go es f u r t h e r ,

ÃÂ  fe lR IC D G N T S T ?  OUR O B LIG A T IO N S  .UNDER NPT AR TIC LE IV  AS

A PRODUCER AND EXPORTER OF URANIUM TO F A C IL IT A T E  AND

PA R TIC IPA TE IN; THE^Â£XCHANG B  OF iEQU ÃÂÃÂ¡ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ¤, MATERIALS

i  AND INFORMATION FOR THE PEACEFUL USES OF ATOMIC ENERGY,

WITH DUE CONSIDERATION FOR THE NEEDS OF THE DEVELOPING

AREAS OF THE WORLD,

, A u s t r a l i a  a l s o , a n d  a s  p a r t  o f  t h i s  r e c o g n it io n , a c c e p t s

THAT IT  HAS A PARTICULAR R E S P O N S IB ILIT Y  TO SECURE IMPROVED

INTERNATIONAL SAFEGUARDS AGAINST DIVERSIO N OF NUCLEAR

MATERIAL FROM PEACEFUL USES,

. A u s t r a l ia  n e v e r t h e l e s s  d o e s n o t c o n s id e r  i t  eno ug h t o

PUT IN PLACE A MORE STRINGENT SAFEGUARDS SYSTEM.

. W e  SHOULD ALSO L IK E  TO BRING ABOUT AN END TO ALL FORMS

OF NUCLEAR TESTING THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN TREATY.

T h i s  i s  a l s o  an NPT o b l i g a t i o n  (A r t i c l e  V I ) .

-  CONTINUED NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTING IS  A SYMBOL OF

AN INCENTIVE TO THE ARMS RACE

-  THE GREAT MAJORITY OF NUCLEAR TESTS ARE CONDUCTED

b y  t h e  So v i e t  Un io n  a n d  t h e  Un i t e d  St a t e s , b u t  F r a n c e

ALSO CONDUCTS TESTS EACH YEAR IN  THE SOUTH P A C IF IC

REGION.

-  B r i t a i n  a n d  Ch i n a  c o n t in u e  t o  c o n d u c t o c c a s io n a l

t e s t s ,  Ch i n a  -  m o s t r e g r e t t a b l y  -  in  t h e  a t m o s p h e r e

...... J e ^a r e .o n e . o f  t h e - ÃÂ¼ ÃÂ± ÃÂ¹ÃÂ½  p r o m o t e r s  i n  t h e  Un i t e d  Na t i o n s .

o f t h e  n e g o t i a t i o n  o f ; a t r e a t y  t o  b a n  n u c l e a r  t e s t in g

BY A LL STATES IN  A LL ENVIRONMENTS FOR A LL T IM E .

. T h i s  i s  a  p o i n t  on w h ic h  c o l l e c t iv e  in t e r n a t io n a l  a c t io n

IS  OF THE GREATEST IMPORTANCE.

. Ch e m ic a l  a n d  b i o l o g i c a l  w e a p o n s a r e  s e c o n d  o n l y  t o

NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN  TH EIR CAPACITY TO IN F L IC T  DEATH AND

HUMAN SUFFERING ON A LARGE SCALE.

8.

A u s t r a l i a  b e l i e v e s  t h a t  i t  i s  e s p e c i a l l y  im p o r t a n t

THAT THE RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS BE

STRENGTHENED AND WOULD DRAW ATTENTION TO THE

D ISA PP O IN TIN G  FACT THAT ONLY 2 / 3  OF THE COMMONWEALTH

MEMBERS ARE PARTIES TO THE 1 9 2 5  PROTOCOL, AND LESS THAN

2 / 3  HAVE AGREED TO THE 1 9 7 2  BIO LO G IC AL WEAPONS CONVENTION.

W e  a l s o  s t r o n g l y  s u p p o r t e f f o r t s  t o  e n s u r e  t h a t  t h e  a r m s

RACE DOES NOT EXTEND OFF T H IS  PLANET AND INTO OUTER SPACE

-  THE PROSPECT OF EXTENSION OF THE NUCLEAR ARMS RACE

INTO THAT ARENA IS  FRIGHTENING IN ITS  P O S S IB IL IT IE S

-  IT  SHOULD BE HEADED OFF BEFORE THE INEXORABLE LOGIC

OF A NEW ROUND OF COMPETITIVE B ID D IN G  IMPOSES ITSE LF

AND PROVIDES US WITH YET A FURTHER DANGEROUS ARENA

OF INTRACTABLE D IF F IC U L T Y .

, iiH E ^& M M Q W E iA LT H  5  Â©AN ';?PLAY AT CONSTRUCT IV E  ROLE IN ..

DISARMAMENT, AND. IN  REDUCING TENSIONS

THESE ISSUES ARE CHARACTERISED BY DISPUTE BETWEEN

t h e  Ea s t e r n  a n d  We s t e r n  b l o c s

-  t h e  Co m m o n w e a lt h  d o e s  n o t  r e p r e s e n t 1b l o c s , i t  i s  a

h e t e r o g e n e o u s  o r g a n is a t io n

-  IT S  VOICE CAN COMMAND THE ATTENTION OF THE SUPER POWERS,

I t c l e a r l y  i s  an i l l u s i o n  to b e l i e v e  t h a t  s e c u r it y  can

BY OBTAINED ON THE BASIS OF AN ARMS RACE OF THE PROPORTIONS

WE FACE TODAY.

No - one s h o u l d  d o u b t  t h a t  t h e  r e s o u r c e s  in v o l v e d  in

THAT ARMS RACE COULD BE VASTLY MORE PRODUCTIVELY

EMPLOYED IN THE WORLD ECONOMY, IN CREATING JOBS,

AND IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.

A c t io n  in  t h i s  f i e l d  i s  u r g e n t l y  r e q u ir e d .

