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3

T H E  H O N .  L I O N E L  B O W E N Â·

DEPUTY LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION

AND ,

SPOKESMAN ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

.  :ADDRESS TO .  #

VICTORIAN BRANCH. AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL

'  AFFAIRS

MELBOURNE - FRIDAY 12 FEBRUARY. :  J M

"DISARMAMENT - THE WORLD NEEDS FEWER SWORDS . . . AND MORE PLOUGH SHARES"

12 F e b r u a r y .  1982

DISARMAMENT

Thf W o r l d  N eeds  F ewer  S w o r d s  a n d-M ore P lough  S hares

THE UNITED STATES AND THE SOVIET UNION HAVE, AT PRESENT,

ROUGHLY 20,000 NUCLEAR WARHEAD EACH.  AT LEAST THREE OTHER

COUNTRIES HAVE, IN TOTAL, ABOUT 1500 THERMO-NUCLEAR WEAPONS,

BRINGING THE WORLD'S TOTAL TO MORE THAN 40,000 NUCLEAR WARHEADS.

THIS MEANS THAT THERE ARE, IN EXISTENCE, THE EQUIVALENT OF

THREE TONS OF T.N.T .FOR THE KILLING OF EACH MAN, WOMAN AND

CHILD ON THIS PLANET. Â· . . Ã¢ÂÂ  Ã¢ÂÂ  Â·  .  .  .  Â·  Ã¢ÂÂ   *  Ã¢ÂÂ

IT HAS BECOME FASHIONABLE LATELY TO TALK ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF

A LIMITED NUCLEAR WAR. THIS IS ARRANT NONSENSE. A NUCLEAR

EXCHANGE LIMITED TO SELECTED TARGETS WITH WEAPONS OF ONLY A

CERTAIN MAGNITUDE IN EUROPE WOULD RESULT IN SIX MILLION DEAD,

ACCORDING TO A NATO STUDY.Ã¢ÂÂ   Ã¢ÂÂ   V Ã¢ÂÂ

HAROLD BROWN, FORMER U.S. DEFENCE SECRETARY, ESTIMATED THAT

IN A NUCLEAR EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE U.S. AND THE U.S.S.R. ’

CASUALTIES WOULD AMOUNT TO SOME 225 MILLION DEAD.

-2-

TOTAL CASUALTIES IN HIROSHIMA AND.NAGASAKI WERE ABOUT 200,000.;, Ã¢ÂÂ¢  . .  * .  Â·'Â» ’

TACTICAL NUCLEAR WEAPONS NOW BEING MANUFACTURED ARE SO SMALL ;

IN SIZE AS TO WEIGH ONLY 100 POUNDS, THOUGH POSSESSING - '  . . - / Ã¢ÂÂ   Ã¢ÂÂ   .  Ã¢ÂÂ   Â·  Ã¢ÂÂ   Â· ÃÂ¯ AN EXPLOSIVE RANGE EQUIVALENT TO 100 TONS OF TNT, OR, TO USE Â·   THE JARGON, 0.1 OF A KILOTON. !

IN TERMS OF DESTRUCTION, ONE KILOTON OF EXPLOSIVE LEVELLED THE ’i

CITY OF HAMBURG IN THE RAID THAT KILLED 42,000 PEOPLE TOWARDS

THE END OF THE LAST WAR. IT IS FRIGHTENING TO THINK THAT A

COUPLE OF INFANTRYMEN CAN CARRY A WEAPON WHICH, BY FIRING A “

SINGLE SHELL, CAN KILL THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH ONE SHOT.

THE 6TH AUGUST 1945, THE DAY WHEN THE ATOMIC BOMB WAS DROPPED '  '  Â·  _  . . ;  ; ON HIROSHIMA, WAS A DAY OF EXTRAORDINARY IMPORTANCE TO THE Â·  '

WORLD AND MANKIND GENERALLY, FROM THAT DAY, MAN DID NOT -

FACE THE PROSPECT OF DEATH AS AN INDIVIDUAL, BUT OF EXTINCTION i Ã¢ÂÂ   "  Ã¢ÂÂ   i AS A SPECIES. V

..../3

-3-

QUITE SIMPLY, SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO DEFUSE THE PROBABLE

DESTRUCTION OF THE WORLD. OUR OWN OFFICE OF NATIONAL

ASSESSMENT, IN A REPORT PUBLISHED ABOUT THE MDDDLE OF LAST

YEAR, SAID THAT CURRENTLY THE WORLD FACES A 50 PERCENT CHANCE

OF A NUCLEAR CONFLICT OCCURRING.

SHOULD THIS CONFLICT TAKE PLACE, WE SHALL ALL DIE.

THE ONLY PEOPLE I HAVE EVER MET WHO TALK OF THE ADVANTAGES OF

DEATH ARE "WHOLE OF LIFE" ASSURANCE SALESMEN,

I HAVE MUCH SYMPATHY WITH THE COMMENT MADE BY THE GHOST OF

THAT GREAT WARRIOR, ACHILLES TO ULYSSES WHEN THE LATTER IS

TRYING TO COMFORT HIM FOR HAVING DIED IN BATTLE - ACHILLES SAYS:

"I WOULD RATHER FOLLOW THE PLOUGH AS THE SLAVE OF ANOTHER MAN

WITH NO LAND ALLOTTED TO ME AND NOT MUCH TO LIVE ON, THAN TO

BE KING OVER ALL THE PERISHED DEAD." .

...,/4

1

THE THREAT OF A NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST IS QUITE LITERALLY TOO

HORRIFIC TO CONTEMPLATE AND WE MUST DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO

ENSURE THAT BOTH THE VERTICAL AND THE HORIZONTAL PROLIFERATION

;  OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS IS HALTED. .  Â» i Â·  Â·  Ã¢ÂÂ   .  .  !

BY VERTICAL, OF COURSE, I MEAN THE INCREASE IN THE EXISTING

STOCKPILE OF WEAPONS OF THE SUPERPOWERS AND OF THOSE OTHER

\  COUNTRIES (FRANCE, THE U.K. AND THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF

CHINA) WHICH ALSO HAVE NUCLEAR ARMS.

INDIA, OF COURSE, TESTED A NUCLEAR DEVICE IN 1974. BRAZIL

AND ARGENTINA HAVE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN HAVING THE FULL

-  RANGE OF WEAPONS AVAILABLE TO THEM AND BOTH IRAQ AND LIBYA

ARE VERY ANXIOUS TO GO NUCLEAR. Â«

THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT IN AUSTRALIA HAS MADE NUMEROUS STATEMENTS

ON THE PRESSING NEED FOR DISARMAMENT. ; Â»

/5

IT WAS MALCOLM FRASER WHO, AT THE U.N. GENERAL SESSION ON .

DISARMAMENT IN 1978, SAID: "DISARMAMENT IS A MATTER FOR

POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, FOR POLITICAL WILL AND DETERMINATION

AND FOR COMMON COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION."

FINE RHETORIC -  BUT WHERE IS THE FOLLOW-UP? WHAT HAS THE

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT DONE TO SHOW OUR "COMMITMENT AND

DEDICATION" TO THE CAUSE OF WORLD PEACE?

IN HIS SPEECH TO THE GENERAL SESSION ON DISARMAMENT IN 1978,

THE PRIME MINISTER SAID THAT THERE NEEDED TO BE PROGRESS WITH

THE SALT NEGOTIATIONS; THERE WAS AN URGENT NEED FOR CREATION

OF A COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR TEST BAN TREATY; MEASURES WERE

NEEDED TO PREVENT HORIZONTAL PROLIFERATION; THERE WAS AN

URGENT NEED FOR SETTING UP REGIONAL ZONES. OF PEACE (SUCH AS.

IN THE INDIAN OCEAN) AND THERE WAS A PRESSING NEED TO STUDY THE

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DISARMAMENT AND THE NEEDS OF DEVELOPING

COUNTRIES.

.  - 5- Ã¢ÂÂ   .

I  I  I .76

'  -6- '  Ã¢ÂÂ   Â·  Ã¢ÂÂ   Ã¢ÂÂ '

I AGREE WITH ALL THIS. HOWEVER, LITTLE, IF ANYTHING,

HAS HAPPENED.  ;

THE AMERICANS AND THE SOVIETS HAVE FAILED TO MAKE ANY PROGRESS

WITH SALT —  THE TALKS BROKE DOWN WHEN THE U.S. REFUSED

TO DISCUSS SALES OF ARMS TO THE MIDDLE EAST.

THE U.S. SENATE, A HAWK ON ISSUES- OF WEAPONRY, ALSO FRUSTRATED

THE ATTEMPTS BY THE THEN PRESIDENT, JIMMY CARTER, AT MAKING

SOME PROGRESS ON SALT.

THIS IS NOT TO CRITICISE THE AMERICANS, AS BOTH OF THE SUPER

POWERS SELL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF ARMS TO THE MIDDLE EAST.

NEGOTIATIONS ON THE REDUCTION OF STRATEGIC ARMS ARE SCHEDULED TO

BEGIN IN APRIL OR MAY IN GENEVA, THE AIM BEING TO REDUCE THE  Ã¢ÂÂ¢  '  '  Ã¢ÂÂ   ' i  .  .

NUMBER OF INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILES AND LONG RANGE

BOMBERS. ONE CAN ONLY WISH THEM EVERY SUCCESS.

,.. ,/7

NEGOTIATIONS ON A COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN WERE BEGUN IN 1977,

BUT HAVE BEEN IN ABEYANCE SINCE 1980.

TALKS REGARDING THE BANNING OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS WERE BEGUN IN 1977

BUT WERE SUSPENDED IN 1980. .

NEGOTIATIONS WERE BEGUN IN 1978 ON THE ANTI-SATELLITE WEAPONS,

WITH THE AIM OF EITHER BANNING THEM OR AT LEAST CONTROLLING

THEM. THESE TALKS WERE LAST HELD IN 1980.

WHEN I WAS IN WASHINGTON LAST YEAR, I LEARNT THAT NOBODY IN THE

GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES WAS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN

PURSUING ANY OF THESE MATTERS. BUT I DO COMMEND THE STEPS

TAKEN BY THE UNITED STATES IN TRYING TO HAVE THE MIDDLE EAST

DECLARED A NUCLEAR-FREE ZONE.

I HAVE DESCRIBED THIS STEP AS A CRUCIAL AND PRACTICAL ONE IN

EVENTUALLY BRINGING ABOUT SOME SCALING DOWN OF THE ARMS RACE.

I HAVE ALSO URGED THAT THE SOUTH PACIFIC/AS WELL AS THE

INDIAN OCEAN, BE KEPT FREE FROM NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

,  - 7 -  - Ã¢ÂÂ   Ã¢ÂÂ

....78

I COMMEND THE DECISION OF THE A.C.T.U. TO HOLD A SPECIAL .

CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT THIS YEAR -  A CONFERENCE WHICH WILL

COINCIDE WITH THE HOLDING BY THE UNITED NATIONS, IN MAY OF

THIS YEAR, OF A SPECIAL SESSION ON DISARMAMENT.

AS FAR AS HORIZONTAL PROLIFERATION IS CONCERNED, BY PRESSURING

JAPAN TO INCREASE ITS EXPENDITURE ON ARMS, THE UNITED STATES

IS INDIRECTLY ENCOURAGING IT.

LET US NOT FORGET THAT JAPAN ALREADY SPENDS FOUR TIMES AS MUCH

MONEY ON DEFENCE AS AUSTRALIA DOES, AND ALREADY HAS ONE OF THE

WORLD'S LARGEST NAVIES. AS FOR NUCLEAR WEAPONS -  THEY HAVE

THE TECHNOLOGY TO MANUFACTURE THEM, AND THE CAPACITY TO Ã¢ÂÂ¢  i  Ã¢ÂÂ   Â·  . . . DEPLOY THEM.

THE CHINESE HAVE A NUCLEAR CAPABILITY AND HAVE EXPLODED .

NUCLEAR DEVICES BOTH UNDERGROUND AND IN THE ATMOSPHERE. AT

PRESENT, CHINA'S DEPLOYMENT CAPACITY IS POOR, BUT IT IS ONLY

A QUESTION OF TIME BEFORE THIS IMPROVES.

-8-

...,/9

HAVING SAID ALL THIS ABOUT THE HORRORS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

AND THEIR CAPACITY FOR DESTRUCTION, IT IS WORTHWHILE TO

NOTE THAT NO-ONE HAS IN FACT BEEN KILLED BY A NUCLEAR WEAPON

SINCE 1945 -  AND YET SINCE THAT TIME, WHILE THE WORLD HAS

BEEN "AT PEACE", THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 130 ARMED CONFLICTS,

ALL OF THEM FOUGHT ON THE SOIL OF THE POORER NATIONS, WITH

WEAPONS BOUGHT FROM THE RICH ONES -  THOUSANDS HAVE DIED,

KILLED BY CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS CARRIED BY SOLDIERS WHO SEEM TO

BE GETTING YOUNGER. '

WE HAVE ALL SEEN PHOTOGRAPHS OF CHILDREN CRADLING SUBMACHINE

GUNS. WE HAVE SOWN DRAGON'S TEETHi NOW OUR CHILDREN

KNOW AND SUFFER THE ARMED MEN. '

WHAT DOES ALL THIS DESTRUCTION COST -  AND WHO PAYS FOR IT?

I CANNOT PUT IT ANY BETTER THAN GENERAL EISENHOWER, WHO SAID:

-9-

/10

-10-

"EVERY GUN THAT IS MADE, EVERY WARSHIP LAUNCHED,

EVERY ROCKET FIRED, SIGNIFIES IN A FINAL SENSE

A THEFT FROM THOSE WHO HUNGER AND ARE NOT FED,

.  FROM THOSE WHO ARE COLD AND ARE NOT CLOTHED."

THE WORLD SPENDS ABOUT $500 BILLION A YEAR ON ARMS -  THAT IS

$1 MILLION EACH MINUTE. SALES OF WEAPONS DURING 1980 AMOUNTED

TO $120 BILLION. ABOUT ONE THIRD OF ALL WEAPONS SOLD BY

SUPPLIERS END UP IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

DURING LAST YEAR,:  AGREEMENTS BETWEEN SUPPLIERS AND THEIR THIRD

WORLD CUSTOMERS INCREASED BY 43%. TRANSFERS IN THE WORLD

TRADE FOR ARMS NOW ARE ABOUT EQUAL TO THOSE FOR FOOD.

THE UNITED STATES STILL REMAINS THE PRINCIPAL ARMS SELLER

IN THE WORLD. PRESIDENT REAGAN PLANS TO SPEND $1.5 TRILLION

DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS ON REARMING THE UNITED STATES.

THE U.S. GOVERNMENT'S SALES DURING 1981 WERE ABOUT $18 BILLION,

/II

THE BEST CUSTOMER OF THE AMERICANS IS SAUDI ARABIA, WHICH

RECENTLY REPLACED IRAN AS THE LARGEST WEAPONS IMPORTER IN THE

MIDDLE EAST,

FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER, RICHARD ALLEN, SAID THE U,S.

VIEWED THE TRANSFER OF CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS AND OTHER DEFENCE

ARTICLES AS AN INDISPENSABLE COMPONENT OF ITS FOREIGN POLICY.

QUITE CLEARLY THE U.S.S.R. DOES ALSO, BECAUSE IT IS STRONGLY

CHALLENGING THE U.S. FOR THE POSITION OF PRINCIPAL MERCHANT

OF DEATH.  DURING 1980, ITS SALES AMOUNRED TO ABOUT $15 BILLION,

PRINCIPALLY TO THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES, ITS BEST CUSTOMERS BEING

LIBYA AND SYRIA.

ACCORDING TO "TIME MAGAZINE" OF 26 OCTOBER, 1981, LAST YEAR

ALONE, THE P.L.O RECEIVED AN ESTIMATED $100 MILLION IN ARMS.

- 11-

....712

DURING. THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE SALES BY THE UNITED STATES

TO THE SAUDIS OF THE ADVANCE WARNING AIRCRAFT (AWACS), WE '

TENDED TO OVERLOOK THE FACT THAT A PACKAGE DEAL OF SOME -

$4.5 BILLION IN CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS WAS PUT TOGETHER BY THE

AMERICANS FOR THE SAUDIS, '  WHO LIKE TO SHOP AROUND FOR THEIR

HARDWARE.

FRANCE, WHICH RANKS THIRD IN WORLD ARMS SALES, SOLD $3.1 BILLION

WORTH OF WEAPONRY, INCLUDING FOUR MISSILE FIRING FRIGATES, TO

THE SAUDIS DURING 1980 -  WHICH WAS A GOOD YEAR FOR FRENCH

ARMOURERS, AS SALES AMOUNTED TO A TIDY $8 BILLION.

FRANCE HAS FEW, IF ANY, QUALMS. ABOUT SELLING ANYTHING TO

ANYBODY, PROVIDING THEY CAN PAY- FOR IT -  MOST RECENTLY, FOR

EXAMPLE, SELLING "NON-MILITARY EQUIPMENT" IN THE SHAPE OF

PATROL BOATS AND HELICOPTERS TO NICARAGUA'S SANDINISTA GOVERNMENT.

:  - 12- .

... .713

-13-

NICARAGUA IS ECONOMICALLY BANKRUPT AND WITH ITS INFRASTRUCTURE

RUINED BY THE CIVIL WAR THAT THREW OUT THE UNSPEAKABLE DICTATOR

ANASTAS10 SOMOZA. THE LAST THING THAT THIS COUNTRY NEEDS IS

MORE MILITARY HARDWARE. PERHAPS IT'S BECAUSE THE AVERAGE AGE

OF THE JUNTA MEMBERS IS 28 AND THAT IT PERCEIVES ITS SURVIVAL

IN TERMS OF REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE THAT THE FLOW OF ARMS INTO

NICARAGUA CONTINUES. .  '

THE FRENCH ARE CLOSELY FOLLOWED IN WORLD ARMS SALES BY ITALY,

THE F.R.G. AND THE U.K. - THOUGH THE F.R.G, HAS SOME QUALMS

ABOUT SELLING WEAPONS WHICH COULD BE USED AGAINST ISRAEL.

BUT IT IS NOT TOTALLY A DEVELOPED COUNTRIES' GAME. BRAZIL, FOR

EXAMPLE,:  BY 1985 WILL HAVE MADE SALES OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT

WHICH WILL HAVE REACHED ABOUT $2 BILLION ANNUALLY -  ABOUT EQUAL

TO THE REVENUE BRAZIL GETS FROM THE SALE OF COFFEE.  BRAZIL

CURRENTLY NOT ONLY SELLS TO ITS NEIGHBOURS, BUT ALSO TO THE

MIDDLE EAST —  PRINCIPALLY IRAQ. .

....714

THESE FIGURES, WHILST STAGGERING IN THEMSELVES, BECOME EVEN

MORE HORRIFIC WHEN WE BREAK THEM DOWN,

A TANK COSTS ABOUT 2 MILLION DOLLARS -  THIS IS EQUIVALENT TO

THE COST OF A COUPLE OF THOUSAND CLASS ROOMS, WHICH WOULD HOUSE

ABOUT 50,000 CHILDREN. Â°

A MODERN FIGHTER PLANE COSTS ABOUT 20 MILLION DOLLARS -

THIS AMOUNT WOULD ESTABLISH AND EQUIP 40,000 VILLAGE PHARMACIES.

THE STANDARD INFANTRYMAN'S WEAPON, THE SOVIET AK.47 (OF WHICH

THERE ARE ABOUT 10 MILLION IN CIRCULATION) AT PRESENT COSTS

ABOUT $800. THE AVERAGE ANNUAL INCOME OF AN EGYPTIAN PEASANT

IS $600. ;  .  , .

A U.S.-MADE COLT 45 AUTOMATIC PISTOL COSTS $300 -  AN AFRICAN '.-.I.Â· '  Â· Ã¢ÂÂ  Â· . ’ Â·  Ã¢ÂÂ

HERDSMAN IN THE CHAD WOULD HAVE TO WORK ALMOST A YEAR IN ORDER

TO PAY FOR ONE.

Ã¢ÂÂ   - 14 -

.715

-15- .

IT IS JUST NOT POSSIBLE FOR THE WORLD TO SPEND ALL THIS MONEY

EACH YEAR ON WEAPONS AND AT THE SAME TIME DEVOTE THE NECESSARY

.RESOURCES TO INCREASING FOOD PRODUCTION, -  TO REFORM AGRICULTURE

AND TO GENERALLY IMPROVE THE LOT OF HUMAN BEINGS.

THIS FANTASTIC AMOUNT OF 500 BILLION DOLLARS IS EQUAL TO THE

ANNUAL INCOME OF TWO BILLION PEOPLE -  THAT IS, TO THE POOREST

HALF OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION -  A THIRD OF WHICH HAS NO MEDICAL

CARE -  A FIFTH OF WHICH IS ILLITERATE -  HALF OF WHICH IS

STARVING! .

HALF A PERCENT OF THE SPENDING ON ARMS WOULD PAY FOR ALL

THE FARM EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO MAKE FOOD DEFICIT COUNTRIES

SELF-SUFFICIENT BY 1990.

I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO A REPORT PUBLISHED ON

5 OCTOBER 1981 BY THE UNITED NATIONS. THE REPORT STUDIES THE

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DISARMAMENT AND DEVELOPMENT AND IT MAKES 1

FASCINATING READING. .

/16

-16- .

NEARLY 6% OF THE WORLD'S FINITE RESOURCES HAVE BEEN USED UP

EACH YEAR FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS ON ARMAMENTS. THE THIRD .

WORLD ACCOUNTED FOR 75% OF ALL ARMS IMPORTS DURING THE 1970's -

USING PRECIOUS AND VERY LIMITED FOREIGN RESERVES TO PAY FOR THEM.

SINCE 1945, COLLECTIVELY, THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN

SPENDING AN AVERAGE OF $19 BILLION EACH YEAR ON ARMS. '

INCIDENTALLY, THE SOVIET UNION RECEIVES ABOUT A QUARTER OF

ITS FOREIGN EXCHANGE EARNINGS FROM ARMS SALES.

THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE REPORT ARE STAGGERING, BETWEEN 50 TO

100 MILLION PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY IN:

THE PROVISION OF MILITARY GOODS AND SERVICES. THIS INCLUDES '  .  .  Â·  Ã¢ÂÂ   i j

ALMOST A QUARTER OF ALL THE WORLD'S ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS.

a a a717

-17-

IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT A 40% CUT-BACK IN U.S. WEAPONS

SALES, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD RESULT IN A MINIMUM DEPRECIATION. '

IN THE U.S. DOLLAR OF 2%. UNITED STATES ARMS CONTRACTS

TO MEET THE SAUDI'S REQUIREMENTS ALONE WILL PROVIDE 120,000 JOBS

IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

MORE THAN HALF A MILLION QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS ARE ENGAGED

IN MILITARY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN PROGRAMS WHICH

SPEND CLOSE TO $35 BILLION EACH YEAR IN NEW WEAPON TECHNOLOGY.

#  Ã¢ÂÂ   Ã¢ÂÂ   ’  . Â· Ã¢ÂÂ

THE AVERAGE MILITARY PRODUCT IS 20 TIMES MORE RESEARCH-INTENSIVE

THAN THE AVERAGE CIVILIAN PRODUCT.

SIX PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S ANNUAL PETROLEUM.PRODUCTION IS BURNT "  ‘  ' I Â·  "  -  '  "  ' FOR MILITARY PURPOSES. MORE ALUMINIUM, COPPER, NICKEL AND

PLATINUM GOES INTO WEAPON SYSTEMS EACH YEAR THAN'IS CONSUMED

FOR ALL OTHER PURPOSES BY THE COMBINED COUNTRIES OF AFRICA,

ASIA AND LATIN AMERICA. .

Ã¢ÂÂ¢ Â· . .718

-18-

IN 1980, WORLD MILITARY EXPENDITURE AVERAGED OUT AT ALMOST

ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD ON EARTH.

AT THE PRESENT RATE OF SPENDING, THIS FIGURE WILL DOUBLE BEFORE

THE END OF THE CENTURY.

WORLD WIDE, THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE IN UNIFORM THAN THERE

ARE TEACHERS -  THAT IS, APPROXIMATELY 25 MILLION IN THE ;

REGULAR FORCES AND 45 MILLION IN MILITIA UNITS.

IN WESTERN EUROPE, AN AVERAGE OF $15,000 PER ANNUM IS SPENT

ON EACH SOLDIER, -  AND ONLY $130 PER ANNUM ON THE EDUCATION

OF EACH CHILD. .

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION HAD SPENT LESS MONEY OVER *

A TEN-YEAR PERIOD—  ABOUT $100 MILLION TO ERADICATE SMALLPOX -

THAN ONE ARMS SUPPLIER SPENT UPDATING A SMALL AIR-TO-AIR

MISSILE SYSTEM.

....719

THE ARMED FORCES CONTROL 54 GOVERNMENTS OF DEVELOPING NATIONS

OF THESE, 41 CONSISTENTLY VIOLATE HUMAN RIGHTS. .

CONTRARY TO THE ARGUMENT OFTEN ADVANCED BY MILITARISTS,

THERE IS LITTLE OR NO EVIDENCE OF WEAPON TECHNOLOGY HAVING

LED TO ANY SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS FOR PEACEFUL PURPOSES.

MILITARY CONSUMPTION IS TOTALLY UNPRODUCTIVE. TO GIVE JUST

ONE EXAMPLE -  THE MATERIALS USED FOR BUILDING AND DEPLOYING

JUST 200 LAND-BASED I CBM'S, CONSISTS OF TEN THOUSAND TONS

OF ALUMINIUM, 2500 TONS OF CHROMIUM, 980,000 TONS OF STEEL

AND 2.4 MILLION TONS OF CEMENT.

THE U.N. REPORT EXPRESSES THE HOPE THAT PARTIAL DISARMAMENTÃ¢ÂÂ¢  .  Â·  Ã¢ÂÂ   .  .  .  ’  ,  J TO THE ORDER OF 25% COULD BE ACHIEVED DURING THE 80's AND

A FURTHER 15% DURING THE 1990's.

-19-

I Â· .720

DEVELOPING COUNTRIES COULD THEN INCREASE THEIR G.N P,  BY

ALMOST 4% - AGRICULTURAL OUTPUT WOULD THEN BE INCREASED

BY NEARLY 5% - PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION WOULD BE BOOSTED TO

THE ORDER OF 20% IN LATIN AMERICA - NEARLY 50% IN ASIA -

AND BY A STAGGERING 166% IN AFRICA.

THE STUDY HAS REJECTED THE ARGUMENT THAT THE ARMAMENT INDUSTRY

CANNOT BE DISMANTLED WITHOUT A MAJOR DISRUPTION OF THE WORLD'S

ECONOMY AT LARGE.

THE PROCESS WOULD NOT TAKE PLACE OVERNIGHT BUT WOULD BE GRADUAL

WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF POST-WAR CHANGES TO INDUSTRY IN EUROPE

AND THE U.S. AS A GUIDE.

ADMITTEDLY MUCH OF THE POST-WAR EFFORT IN EUROPE WAS CHANNELLED

INTO RECONSTRUCTION. MUCH INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE BUILT,

AND NOT SOLELY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.

-20-

,..../21

Ã¢ÂÂ¢  % ... '  Â·  , . Â·  . '  ,. Â·  . Â· .

Ã¢ÂÂ  '  -21- Ã¢ÂÂ

OUR EFFORTS MUST BE CHANNELLED INTO RESEARCH FOR ALTERNATIVE.

SOURCES OF ENERGY, FOR THE DISPOSAL OF NUCLEAR WASTE, FOR

THE CONTROL OF POLLUTION, FOR THE PROVISION OF WATER, FOR

THE CONSTRUCTION OF ADEQUATE AND CHEAP HOUSING AND FOR

TRANSPORTATION, FOR PROVIDING BASIC HEALTH CARE TO MILLIONS

OF PEOPLE, FOR TEACHING THEM TO READ AND TO LOOK UPON.THE

FUTURE WITH HOPE AND UNDERSTANDING.

THE OUTLETS FOR MAN'S CREATIVITY IN PEACE ARE LIMITLESS.

DETENTE AND THE SCALING DOWN OF THE PRODUCTION OF ARMS IS NOT

AN OPTION. IT IS THE ONLY POSSIBLE COURSE OF ACTION IF THE

ULTIMATE CATASTROPHE OF THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WORLD IS TO BE

AVOIDED. 8

V..../22

-22Â­

IN SPITE OF ALL THIS MASSIVE EXPENDITURE; THERE IS ABSOLUTELY

NO EVIDENCE THAT THE WEAPONS WE HAVE NOW HAVE ENHANCED MILITARY/

POLITICAL OR ECONOMIC SECURITY OF ANY COUNTRY TO THE POINT

WHERE IT FEELS SAFE.

THE ARMS SELLERS MUST QUITE SIMPLY REALISE THAT THEY ARE CREATING

A MONSTER THAT IT IS IN NO-ONE'S INTEREST TO HAVE. :

SAM CUMMINGS, THE HEAD OF INTERARMS. THE-WORLD'S LARGEST PRIVATE

ARMS DEALER, HAS PROVIDED US WITH TWO QUOTATIONS WHICH SHOW THE

TOTAL CYNICISM OF ARMS SALESMEN. WHEN SPEAKING OF GOVERNMENT

ARMS PEDDLARS, CUMMINGS SAID: .

< , .  , '  '  .  "  .  ‘  .  '

"IT IS MERELY AN EXTENSION OF DIPLOMACY. ARMS

SALES MAKE FRIENDLY COUNTRIES STRONGER AND STRONG

COUNTRIES FRIENDLIER." -  .

723

-23Â­

SPEAKING OF HIS OWN TRADE; WHICH HE OFF-HANDEDLY REGARDS AS .

A BUSINESS LIKE ANY OTHER, HE SUMMED UP ITS CONTINUING

EXCELLENT PROSPECTS BY SAYING: '.  Ã¢ÂÂ  Ã¢ÂÂ   Ã¢ÂÂ   Ã¢ÂÂ  r  .

"HUMAN FOLLY GUARANTEES THE PERPETUITY OF ARMS

Ã¢ÂÂ   TRADING, THE WORLD'S SECOND OLDEST PROFESSION,"

IT IS ENCOURAGING TO SEE THAT SOME GOVERNMENTS ARE EXERCISING

RESTRAINT IN THE TYPE OF WEAPONS THAT THEY SELL. THE

UNITED STATES, FOR EXAMPLE, DOES NOT SELL SUCH HIGH

TECHNOLOGY WEAPONS AS PORTABLE GUIDED MISSILE LAUNCHERS -

PERHAPS BECAUSE IF THESE SHOULD FALL INTO THE HANDS OF

TERRORISTS, IT WOULD, AMONG OTHER THINGS, MAKE WORLD AIR

TRAVEL IMPOSSIBLE.

THE. F.R.G. DOES NOT SELL WEAPONS TO COUNTRIES IN AN AREA OF

TENSION AND IT HAS STRONG RESERVATIONS ABOUT SELLING WEAPONS

TO ANYONE WHO IS LIKELY TO USE THEM AGAINST ISRAEL.

m

-24-

THE U.S.S.R. HAS REFUSED TO EQUIP IRAQ WHILE IT CONTINUES

TO BE AT WAR WITH IRAN.

WHAT CAN AUSTRALIA DO?Ã¢ÂÂ   . -  - Ã¢ÂÂ   .

FIRSTLY, IT.MUST SUPPORT EFFORTS BEING MADE IN THE U.N. TO

BRING ABOUT DISARMAMENT. WE REALISE THAT UNILATERAL AND

TOTAL DISARMAMENT IS SOMETHING OF A UTOPIAN DREAM. ALL  DEFENCE  COUNTRIES WILL WANT TO MAINTAIN A BASIC/CA'PABILITY, AND

AUSTRALIA NEEDS TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT CAPACITY TO DEFEND

ITSELF FROM ANY ATTACK.

IT IS THE MADNESS OF THE ABSURD OVERKILL CAPACITY WHICH NOW

EXISTS THAT MUST BE STOPPED.

.  ‘  Ã¢ÂÂ   Ã¢ÂÂ   Ã¢ÂÂ  Ã¢ÂÂ

. ' Ã¢ÂÂ   /

SECONDLY, AUSTRALIA CAN MAKE ITS VOICE HEARD IN WORLD FORA

CONDEMNING ALL ACTIVITIES WHICH HEIGHTEN THE TENSIONS THAT

EXIST IN THE WORLD OF TODAY. "

...,/25

THIRDLY, AUSTRALIA MUST SUPPORT RESEARCH INTO THE PEACEFUL

USE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY, WHILE CONDEMNING ALL EFFORTS TO.

MAKE MORE WEAPONS. /  .

IT MUST ALSO CONDEMN SUCH ACTION AS THE ISRAELI BOMBING OF

A NUCLEAR REACTOR IN IRAQ IN MID 1981. ISRAEL CALLED IT A

PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE CARRIED OUT IN ORDER TO PREVENT IRAQ

FROM BUILDING A NUCLEAR WEAPON. THUS, THIS BOMBING WAS

AN ACT OF WAR, CARRIED OUT IN A NUCLEAR CONTEXT, WITH

MOTIVES SPRINGING FROM FEAR OF A NUCLEAR ATTACK.

IRAQ, LIKEWISE, MUST BE CONDEMNED FOR ITS ATTEMPTS AT

PERVERTING THE USE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY, POTENTIALLY SO BENEFICIAL

TOMAN, BY TURNING IT INTO A MEANS OF DESTRUCTION. 1

... - 25 -  Â·  '

726

FRANCE MUST ALSO BEAR THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS INCIDENT,

AS IT WAS THE FRENCH WHO SUPPLIED TO THE IRAQIS URANIUM Ã¢ÂÂ

ENRICHED BEYOND THE LIMITS REQUIRED FOR PEACEFUL PURPOSES, T

IN THE MID-NINETEENTH CENTURY/ WHEN THE WORLD BEGAN TO BE

HORRIFIED BY INHUMANITIES OF SLAVE TRADE, THE ARGUMENT USED

BY THE TRADERS WAS "IF WE DON'T SELL SLAVES, THEN SOMEONE .

ELSE WILL".

IT WAS NOT UNTIL BRITAIN, WHICH LED THE WORLD IN THE SLAVE TRADE,

DECIDED TO ABOLISH IT, THAT OTHER NATIONS EVENTUALLY FOLLOWED

SUIT, UNTIL THE TRADE WAS WIPED OUT.

IT IS THEREFORE UP TO ALL MAJOR GOVERNMENT ARMS. SELLERS TO START

CUTTING DOWN ON THE NUMBER OF WEAPONS THAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO Ã¢ÂÂ¢  ’  Ã¢ÂÂ   Â· Â·  1  Â·  . Â·  Â·  Â·  .. ’  . .  '  *

SUPPLY. . .  .

-26- Â·

...Z27

THEY ARE THE ONES WHO MUST CONVERT THEIR TANK FACTORIES

INTO PLACES WHERE TRACTORS ARE MADE; TO PUT NUCLEAR ENERGY

TO WORK PROVIDING THE WORLD WITH POWER FOR HEATING, LIGHTING

AND FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT; TO MAKE WATER PIPES

INSTEAD OF BARRELS FOR CANNONS; AND TO PUT TOYS ONCE AGAIN

INTO THE HANDS OF CHILDREN. .  ,

AUSTRALIA MUST DO ALL THAT IT CAN TO PERSUADE THESE NATIONS

THAT UNILATERAL DE-ESCALATION OF BOTH NUCLEAR AND CONVENTIONAL

WEAPONS IS THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE THE WORLD'S SURVIVAL, WITH

THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF EVENTUAL DISARMAMENT.

THE HIDEOUS ARSENAL OF THE WEAPONS OF BIOLOGICAL GERM AND'

CHEMICAL WARFARE -  THE MOST HORRIFIC BEING NAPALM, USED

EXTENSIVELY IN VIETNAM -  MUST SIMPLY BE TOTALLY BANNED.

- 27 -

Ã¢ÂÂ¢  I l l /28

-28-

ONE OTHER THING THAT AUSTRALIA AND AUSTRALIANS CAN DO TO

REVERSE THE ARMS RACE IS TO PUBLICISE THE ISSUE AS WIDELY AND

VIVIDLY AS POSSIBLE WITHIN OUR COUNTRY SO THAT EVERY CITIZEN

KNOWS THE FULL EXTENT OF THE DANGERS AND OF THE NEED FOR

ACTION. Ã¢ÂÂ

IN INVITING ME HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON YOUR PRESTIGIOUS PLATFORM

ON THE SUBJECT OF DISARMAMENT, THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE PUBLIC EDUCATION

CAMPAIGN WHICH I BELIEVE IS URGENTLY NEEDED.

I HOPE THE INSTITUTE, IN ITS PAPERS AND PUBLICATIONS, AND

THROUGH ITS INFLUENCE, WILL CONTINUE TO DRAW ATTENTION TO

THE ISSUE.  I URGE THE INSTITUTE TO HELP PUBLICISE THE

UNITED NATIONS DISCUSSIONS ON DISARMAMENT AT THE SPECIAL

SESSION TO BE HELD LATER THIS YEAR.

.  i I B I Â·/29

FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS HAVE A DUTY, THROUGH THEIR PUBLIC

STATEMENTS, THROUGH THE EDUCATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS,

TO MAKE ALL AUSTRALIANS AWARE OF WHAT WE HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING

HERE TODAY.

THE MEDIA, TOO, HAS A DUTY TO TAKE UP THIS ISSUE WITH ALL

OF THE ENERGY THAT THE PRESS, RADIO AND TELEVISION, OFTEN

DEVOTE TO SUBJECTS OF FAR LESS IMPORTANCE.

I APPLAUD THE DECISION BY THE TRADE UNION MOVEMENT TO HOLD

A SPECIAL CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT THIS MAY.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INVITE THE BUSINESS AND ACADEMIC COMMUNITIES

TO DO LIKEWISE. ,

AFTER ALL, NO POLITICAL PARTY, NO COMMUNITY GROUP, HAS

AN EXCLUSIVE INTEREST IN DISARMAMENT -  IT IS AN ISSUE OF .

CONCERN TO US ALL.

-29-

730

Â¥

V ÃÂ®  ÃÂ¹

30-

MRS INGA TH0RSS0N, CHAIRMAN OF THE GROUP OF EXPERTS WHO

WROTE THE U.N. REPORT WHICH I MENTIONED EARLIER, SUCCINCTLY

PUTS THE CHOICE THAT WE MUST MAKE:

"THE WORLD CAN EITHER CONTINUE TO PURSUE THE ARMS

,  RACE WITH ITS CHARACTERISTIC VIGOUR, OR IT CAN

MOVE CONSCIOUSLY AND WITH DELIBERATE SPEED

TOWARDS A MORE SUSTAINABLE INTERNATIONAL

ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ORDER. IT CANNOT

DO BOTH."

