EMBARGO: 6:30 pm

PRIME MINISTER

FOR MEDIA .  SUNDAY, 24 FEBRUARY, 1980

.  ELECTORATE TALK

Last week in Federal Parliament, by an overwhelming vote,   the House of Representatives condemned the invasion of . Afghanistan by the Soviet Union as a gross violation of the  United Nations charter; as.an act of aggression and tyranny,

creating potentially the greatest threat to international peace  -and security, since 19 45. .

It noted.that a significant majority of world opinion, .  including the Islamic nations, has viewed the invasion with .   grave concern and called for the immediate withdrawal of  Soviet troops from Afghanistan.

More importantly, it resolved that all independently-minded  nations should.take action to register with the Government and  people of the Soviet Union the international abhorrence of . the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. .

These views of the Australian Parliament reflect the unyielding  belief around the world that action must be taken against the  Soviets to show them that a price must.be paid for blatant abuse  of accepted standards of international behaviour.

Australia,.like many other nations, has given urgent attention .   to measures against the Soviet Union. It is vital that the  Soviet Union, should understand clearly the choices that it faces.  There is a need for a clear and unambiguous message that the

free world will not tolerate their behaviour. Paramount  consideration must be given to actions,  taken by independently-  minded countries,  which will have the greatest impact on the  Soviet Union.

Following discussions with leaders of the United States, Europe,  and Asia, the Government saw no point in incurring punitive costs  to Australia by action that would have little or no impact  on the Soviet Union. .

Our trade policy with the Soviet Union is consistent with that  of the United States and other friendly Western countries. In  particular, we have agreed not to pick up the shortfall in Soviet  imports of grain brought about by the United States suspension  of additional grain sales. But consistent with the attitude

of major international exporters we have decided that trade  sanctions should only be pursued if they are capable of having a  substantial effect on the Soviet Union.

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That is particularly true of mineral exports.  Not only is  the Soviet Union relatively self-sufficient in mineral supplies,  but they also have other sources of supply quite apart from  Australia. It is not possible to have any impact on the

Soviet Union in this area.

The same is true of wool. The Soviet Union.is one of the world's  biggest producers of wool and has large stockpiles.. Australia  supplies no more than 2 per cent of the Soviet Union's total  fibre requirement. So here again is another area where;.  we are not

capable of taking a stand against the Soviet Union which would  force them to recognise the cost that they must bear for their  unacceptable and aggressive behaviour.

It is.how accepted, not only by the Australian Government but  by an increasing number of Governments throughout the world, that  a boycott of the Olympic Games, more than any other sanction,   would bring home to the Soviet Union an understanding of the

international condemnation of what it has done in Afghanistan.

This is not a step to be taken lightly or happily by any  Government, least.of all by a country like Australia which has  had a distinguished record in the Olympic. Games since their  inception in 1896. I am very much aware of the sacrifices it  would mean for young Australians.

Strong feelings held by my Government about our participation  at the Olympic Games in no way diminish our regard for the  contribution made by Australian athletes to our national , .  reputation and our international standing. And because these .

are highly regarded by all Australians, I have already indicated  that my Government will do all it can to promote and support the  organisation of alternative international sports competitions. I would hope that.at these,  opportunity would be given to all  Australian athletes to test their skills and seek international

recognition for their efforts. But we believe that it is wrorig  that a country engaged in the invasion, occupation and suppression  of a.people should.be regarded as fit to host the Olympic Games.

We believe the Soviet Union's behaviour is clearly in breach of  the Olympic ideals; clearly, in defiance, of accepted international  standards by which we all must seek to live if we are to respect  freedom and seek peace..  The claim by some that depriving Moscow  of the Games would be letting politics interfere with sport

is foolish, and empty.

In the Soviet Union every aspect of life, public and private,  is subordinated to the demands of politics. And in no field  of Soviet life is this principle being applied more intensely or  more comprehensively than in the mounting of the Olympic Games.

An official communist party document circulated last year in the  Soviet Union claims that the holding of the Games in Moscow is  "convincing proof of the universal recognition of the historical  importance.and correctness of the course of our country's

foreign policy". It goes on to say, and I quote:  "More than ever before ... the Olympic Games have turned into an event of great  social and. political signficance." . . ./3

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The Soviets themselves have spelled out the way in which they  would seek to use sport for their political purposes.  Whatever  the intention of the world's, athletes, their presence in . Moscow would be used politically by the Soviet Government.

They would be photographed and filmed on television and  discussed on Russian radio as paying homage to the Soviet Union.  I have said before that the Soviet Union and its foreign policy  must not be allowed such a triumph.

The world cannot afford to accept this only months after the  Soviet Union has invaded a small non-aligned country and  murdered thousands of its people. Indeed, a boycott of the  Games is the only sanction whose effects could not be hidden

from the Russian people.

The Russian people have been told for years now that the  awarding of the Games to Moscow not only represents international  |T acceptance of the Soviet way of life, but also that it will bring to Moscow thousands of athletes and tourists from the West to

pay homage to the Soviet Union. That is the way the Soviet  leadership operates.  It tells the Russian people only what it  wants them to know.

But a boycott of the Olympic Games and its effects - an  Olympic village half empty; an Olympic programme of -  events decimated by  absences; thousands of tourists absent; national flags missing  from the main arena; an opening ceremony and march-past, featuring

few nations, the visual opposite of what the Russian people have  been told to expect - all these cannot be hidden from the  Russian people. This is the kind of.collective action independent  nations of the world must take to prevent other Afghanistans.

The Australian Government's response to. the Soviet invasion has  been measured and realistic. The Government has an uequivocal  obligation to protect the security and well-being of this and  future generations of Australians. Along with other nations

in the world,  we have a clear responsibility to undertake a .  greater effort, a greater response - even if it does mean a  greater cost, as it will - to preserve the independence and  freedom of our people. We have met that challenge and we will meet

any new challenge that might arise.

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