PRIME MINISTER

FOR PRESS 16 JULY 1978

ELECTORATE TALK

In June 1976, in a statement on the world situation, I informed  the Parliament of the Australian Government's serious concern  about some aspects of the Soviet Union's activities.

I noted that:

"The Soviet leaders now have a strategic and political  reach, a capacity to influence and even intervene well  beyond the periphery of the established zones of Soviet  security interest.

"The time has come to expect a sign from the U.S.S.R.  that it understands this, and that it is serious about  reaching global accommodation with the West."

During the two years since that statement, the Soviet Union  has not only failed to give such a sign, but its current

behaviour is a source of increasing international concern.

We are witnessing a new phase in the Soviet Union's persecution  of leaders of the human rights movement. The Soviet Union has  established a considerable presence in the Horn of Africa. And  there is a continuing major build-up in the military power of

the Warsaw Pact.

These are all distrusting signs of the Soviet Union's failure  to moderate major aspects of its international behaviour -  aspects which exacerbate world tensions.

This week, in the area of human rights, the trials of two leading  Soviet human rights defenders, Anatoly Shcharnsky and Alexandr  Ginsburg, have been strongly condemned by the Australian Government  and by the leaders of almost all Western democracies. .

We will continue to express our concern to the Soviet Union.

We urge the Soviet Union to implement the important principles  of human rights embodied in the 1977 Helsinki Accords, to which  they solemnly agreed. We urge it to consider the adverse effects  of the present campaign of repression of those who have attempted  to monitor Soviet compliance with an international agreement.

2.

It is hard for us to believe that Soviet leaders intend to honour  international commitments and understandings if they can allow  such persecution to proceed.

Our concern at;  the Soviet Union's recent action on human rights,  is all the more acute since it is jeopardising areas of arms ,

control in which there has been some progress.

The trials occur in the very week in which the United States and  the Soviet Union are continuing major negotiations designed to  reach new agreement to limit strategic a rms.

The Soviet Union's placing in jeopardy of these negotiations is .   even more disturbing because while it has been concerned with  measures of nuclear disarmament, it has also displayed a disturbing  attachment to the utility of military power as a means of expanding

its own influence.

In 1976 I said: .

"People can. reasonably conclude that the Soviet Union  still seeks to expand its influence throughout the world  in order to achieve Societ primacy. Its actions all too  often appear inconsistent with the aim of reducing world

tension......The .build-up of the Warsaw Pact far exceeds the object of requirements of defending eastern Europe."

Australia is not alone in its attitude. Just recently, President  Carter said that the Soviet Union's miliary build-up "far exceeds  the Soviet Union's leginnmate security needs." .. . -  -v  . . .

This apprehension has also.been plainly and forcefully voiced by  the Biritsh Prime Minister,. Mr Callaghan, as he repeated and :

endorsed President Carter's statement.

Other western leaders have expressed their concern.

One current example of the destabilising effects of the Soviet  pursuit of power is the situation in Africa. There, the Soviet  Union has established a considerable presence, both in its own t.   right, and through i ts surrogate, Cuba. -Ã¢ÂÂ ;,Â·Ã¢ÂÂ

Despite the loss of its Berbers facilities, the substantial  number of Soviet advisers and Cuban troops in the Horn of Africa,  estimated at some 18,110, has an effect on the balance of power  in the area as a whole, including the Indian Ocean.

There is also a large number of Soviet and Cuban personnel in , '   Angola. Their presence has wider implications for Southern  Africa.

Soviet Union activities in Africa have been instrumental in halting  the discussions between the United States thd the Soviet Union,  designed to achieve agreement about balance of power in the Indian  Ocean - designed to achieve a lowering of naval force levels in

the Indian Ocean.

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3.

What the Soviet Union has done does not contribute to the search  for peaceful solutions to the problem of the areas.

The Soviet Union today still has an immense responsibility to  use its power and influence to strengthen international peace  and security. It has an opportunity to use its position to help  build a stable and humane international order, and to end the

arms build-up.

I am sure all Australia.joins me in expressing the hope that  the Soviet leaders will meet this historic responsibility.

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