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MR. FAIRBATRN AND THE NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY

STATEMENT BY THE LEADER OF TIC; OPPOSIT ION,  10, E.G . WHHT LA M.P .

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For the third time in two years,* the Australian Government

is attempting to sabotage an American initiative for peace.

Support for the Nuclear Non--Proliferation-Treaty is the most important request ever made to Australia by the United States. It is crucial in America's effort to reduce the risks of regional and world nuclear war. It is the key to the detente which the United States now seeks with Russia.

Australia should not only sign the treaty but even more importantly try to influence other countries in our region to.sign. Australia is incomparably placed either to promote or scuttle the treaty and its aims. Mr. Fairbairn has left little doubt how the present government will use that influence - against the United

States and Britain, against a detente, against disarmament. If America's closest ally in this region so cavalierly brushes off this American request, undermines the efforts of three American presidents and scorns Americal guarantees, how can countries who

feel themselves more exposed and less protected be expected to co-operate? .

Mr. Fairbairn's unilateral denunciation of the treaty, its objectives and its effectiveness is a sharp switch from expressed government policy. For two years that policy has been to declare general support for the treaty subject to further clarification on safeguards for peaceful and developmental uses of nuclear energy. Either the government has changed its mind and now emphatically opposes the treaty, or Mr. Gorton is using Mr. Fairbairn to fly a kite to soften public opinion to a yet

unannounced change in policy.

Mr. Fairbairn attempts only two reason-, why Australia should not sign - that we could. be  spied on by the international inspectors and that future governments should not be bound by decisions of this one. The truth is that the treaty allows a .signatory to refuse to admit inspectors of whom it may disapprove.

Indeed, Australia is already subject to inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency under its bilateral, agreement with the United States for the supply of peaceful nuclear information. Lucas Heights has been the subject of inspection on at least two

occasions, by Argentinian and Swiss inspectors. Further, the Non-Proliferation Treaty specifically allows unilateral withdrawal on three months' notice. If governments were to refuse to act

on the ground that it would be improper to bind its successors, international diplomacy would come to an abrupt end. No democracy could ever make any long-term international arrangements. The whole fabric of our internation-relations depends on treaties which bind future governments, the most notable of which is ANZUS itself, Mr. Fairbairn himself has just made some unpublished arrangement with France which is reported to tie our future nuclear technology to the nuclear maverick of Europe in opposition to the United States, nri#air. nr%A ('.dnar^a

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Far from the treaty preventing or hindering a rationally planned entry into nuclear development, the Cape Keraudren caper showed clearly that Australia will receive no help from Britain, Canada or America inles^ -ire sign.

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r One of the most suspect aspects is that the running

is being made by the Department of National Development and its Atomic Energy Commission, at a tangent from the External Affairs and Defence Departments. The.A..A.E.C. may believe that we can go

it alone technologically with France. External Affairs and Defence have different ideas about objectives and priorities. The three countries who can best assist Australia in nuclear development are

the United States, Britian and Canada. That assistance will not be forthcoming for a country assisting France to sabotage a treaty to which all three are foundation signatories.

The Nuolear Non-Proliferation Treaty does not involve an undertaking by Australia that it will never under any circumstances hold, build or use nuclear weapons.

On the contrary, it invites us to co-operate with the United States, Great Britain and the Soviet in the first and probably last workable scheme to avert the need to build, hold or use them.

* In May 1967, the Australian government announced that it would oppose a bombing pause in North  V ietnam. In August 1967, the Australian government refused to support U.S. Ambassador Goldberg in

hi.s efforts to secure recognition of the N.L.F. as a party to peace negotiations.

CANBERRA, A.C.T.

14 JULY 1969.'

