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N E W S  R E L E A S E

7 June 1973

PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO INDIA; JOINT COMMUNIQUE

The following is the text of the joint communique issued

in New Delhi yesterday at the conclusion of the visit to India by

the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Whitlam:-

"At the invitation of Shrimati Indira Gandhi, Prime

Minister of India, His Excellency Mr Edward Gough Whitlam, Q.C.,

ÃÂ :  P .  # Prime Minister of Australia, visited India from 3 to 6 June,

1973.Â· He was accompanied by Mrs Whitlam and senior officials of the

Government of Australia. " Â»  '

During his stay in Delhi,  the Prime Minister of Australia

was received by the President of India.

The Prime Minister of Australia had extensive discussions

with the Prime Minister of India.r  The Minister of External Affairs,

the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Agriculture, the Minister

of Planning and the Minister of Commerce called on the Prime

Minister of Australia and discussed matters of mutual interest.

The talks were held in an atmosphere of friendship and mutual

understanding and covered a wide range of subjects dealing with

important international questions and bilateral relationsÂ·. These

discussions revealed a close similarity of views and approach  f  Ã¢ÂÂ   ;

between the Governments of Australia and India.

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The Prime Ministers of India and Australia welcomed the

general, relaxation of tension in the international situation. They

felt that this detente presents opportunities for consolidating

peace and freedom and for taking constructive steps towards social

and economic nrogress in a climate of international co-operation.

They expressed the hope that all remaining differences, particularly

in the areas of conflict, would be resolved peacefully and in

accordance with the principles of national sovereignty, territorial

integrity and non-interference in the internal affairs of states,

thereby ensuring harmony among nations and a stable pattern of

international relations.

The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their faith in the

purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. They

declared their intention to maintain active cooperation in the

United Nations, particularly in the Security Council of which

both countries are currently members.

The t P r i m e Ministers exchanged views on regional

cooperation. They reaffirmed the importance attached by their

respective Governments to increasing regional cooperation and the

contribution that such cooperation can make to easing international

tensions, to broadening understanding among nations and to the

economic and social advancement of countries in the region. In this

context, the Prime Ministers noted the important contribution made

to objectives by such organisations as the Colombo Plan, the

Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East and the Asian

Development Bank. The support of both India and Australia for the

Kuala Lumpur Declaration of 27 November, 1971, calling for a zone

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of peace, freedom and neutrality in South-East Asia was reaffirmed.

B'oth the Prime Ministers welcomed the Paris Agreement of

27 January, 1973, on ending the War and Restoring Peace in Viet-Nam

and the Agreement on Restoring Peace and Achieving National Concord

in Laos signed in Vientiane on 21 February, 1973. The. Prime

Ministers underlined the need for strict observance of these Â·

agreements so as to open the way to peace in all the countries of

Indo-China and to enable the peoples of those countries to settle

their affairs themselves without outside interference.  Both Prime

Ministers reaffirmed their willingness to contribute to the

rehabilitation and reconstruction of this region.

The Prime Minister of India outlined the recent developments

in the sub-continent since the conclusion of the Simla Agreement,

including the Indo-Bangladesh Joint Declaration of 17 April,  1973,

as ÃÂ½ ' /ell as India* s efforts for achieving a just and durable peace

leading to good neighbourly relations and cooperation among all the

states in the sub-continent. The Australian Prime Minister welcomed

the Indo-Bangladesh Joint Declaration as a positive initiative and,

while recognising the complexity of the issues involved, expressed

the hope that further progress would soon be made which would lead

to the normalisation of relations and the establishment of a durable

peace in the sub-continent.

The two Prime Ministers expressed concern at the grave '

situation in the Middle-East and reaffirmed their belief that the

United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 of 22 November,

1967 provided the basis for a just and durable settlement of this

serious and long outstanding problem.

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The Prime Ministers discussed the current situation in the

Indian Ocean area. They both agreed thatÂ·the area should be free

from international tensions, great power rivalry and military

escalation. In this connection, the two Prime Ministers reaffirmed

their support for the concept of the Indian Ocean as a zone of

peace. They noted with satisfaction the establishment of the

United Nations Ad Hoc Committee on the Indian Ocean and the growing

support for the proposal by an increasing number of countries.

The Prime Ministers of Australia and India agreed that

the creation of a zone of peace in the Indian Ocean would be a

positive step towards.the reduction of tensions and rivalries in

this region and agreed to cooperate bilaterally and with all states

concerned towards this end.

The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their belief in the

equality of mankind irrespective of race or colour. They expressed

their abhorrence of policies of racial discrimination, such as

apartheid, which flagrantly violate the United Nations Charter.

The Prime Minister of India noted with appreciation that Australia

had resumed membership-of the UN Decolonization Committee and that

Australia had signed and was now taking steps towards ratifying

the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of

Racial Discrimination. .

.  The Prime Minister of Australia^informed the Indian

Prime Minister of the strong opposition of the countries of the

South Pacific to the current and proposed program of atmospheric

tests of nuclear weapons in the area.

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.  Both Prime Ministers, mindful of United Nations endorsement

of the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the Resolution of the United

Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm in

June 1972 and the Resolutions of the United Nations General

Assembly, and of the World Health Assembly in May 1973 on the

harmful effects of ionizing atomic radiation, reiterated their

opposition to the testing of nuclear weapons in all environments

and in particular to atmospheric testing by whatever nation.

Views were exchanged on matters concerning the law of

the sea, and it was agreed that officials of the two countries

would maintain close contact with a view to identifying their

common interests before the 1974 Law of the Sea ConferenceÂ»

The two Prime Minis.ters expressed concern at the

increasing gulf between the developing and the developed countries

of the world. They were of the view that the gap must be reduced

and eventually bridged in the interest of peace and harmony among

all nations.  They also emphasised that the launching of the

International Development Strategy of the United Nations Second

Development Decade, enjoining the developed countries to help

reduce the growing economic disparity between developed and

developing countries, was a significant landmark in international

economic cooperation.

They expressed the hope that the developed countries would

fulfil their obligations under the International Development

Strategy. The Australian Prime Minister stated that his Government-

not- only intends to expand the present programs of assistance in

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Asia, to the Pacific and Africa but is also giving consideration

to further changes in Australia’s preferential trade with developing

countries. i '  Ã¢ÂÂ  Ã¢ÂÂ

The Prime Ministers welcomed the enlargement of the

European communities and hoped that the communities would adopt

a liberal and outward-looking approach which would contribute to

international development and world peace.  They noted that

Australia and India would be looking to the communities to play

a positive part in the forthcoming GATT Multilateral Trade

negotiations and recorded the importance which they attach to the

need for these negotiations to deal with the problems facing world

trade in agricultural commodities in a satisfactory and equitable

manner.

The two Prime Ministers expressed their satisfaction with

the continuing warm and friendly relations between Australia and

India and reaffirmed their desire to intensify cooperation in all

fields. ’

Both Prime Ministers welcomed the opportunity for

consultations and exchange of views afforded by the annual

Australia/India officials' talks.  It was decided that the next

session would take place in Canberra towards the end of the year.

The two Prime Ministers agreed on the benefits of expanding

contacts between representatives of Australia and India in all

regional and international forums.Â·  Â·

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The Prime Ministers Avelcomed the development of cultural

exchanges between India and Australia since the signing of the

India-Austral!a Cultural Agreement in 1971. They expressed their

desire to see a further extension in the number and variety of

these exchanges at all levels.  In particular they looked forward

to the further development of links between universities in the

tr 'wo countries, both in the scientific area, where there was much

common experience to be shared, and in the field of the humanities

as a contribution to a better knowledge of each other's history

and culture. "

The two Prime Ministers emphasised the importance of

greater collaboration in economic, technical and scientific fields,

the desirability of securing greater diversification of economic

relations and the possibility of joint ventures. The Prime

Minister of India expressed the Government of India's appreciation

of Australian assistance to economic development in India

particularly Australian involvement in long-range .agricultural

development programs.

.  The Australian Prime Minister stated his Government's

intention to maintain and if possible to expand its participation

in India's economic development.

The two Prime Ministers expressed their complete

satisfaction with the results of their discussions. Â·

The Prime Minister of Australia expressed his warm

appreciation of the hospitality shown to him and the members of

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his party during his visit. He extended an invitation to the

Prime Minister of India to visit Australia again. The invitation

was accepted with pleasure. The dates of the visit would he

settled "by mutual consultation,"

