Plea for co-operation as Pacific Forum opens

Press, 30 August 1977, Page 3

Plea for co-operation as Pacific Forum opens

‘ NZPA staff correspondents Port Moresby i The eighth South Pacific Forum opened in Port ■ Moresby yesterday with a plea for members to adopt a ! wide enough perspective to ( find regional solutions to f regional problems. , The Governor-General of Papua New Guinea (Sir Tore ; Lokoloko) in his opening p speech, said the forum was ■ a challenge in which mem- ;! bers would have to consider ! (common problems and make ' j some decisions which might '(cut across specific interests 'of individual countries in the region. > I “I am certain that memI bers will adopt a wider per- | spective in finding regional solutions to regional prob- * lems,” he said. Sir Tore warned that careless development would lead to a sad future for unborn [ generations, and expressed concern for the need for

regional vigilance. “The forum must consider the long term interests of [otfr region while looking [after the economic interests [of member nations,” he said, i Welcoming the initiative i taken by some members, including New Zealand, in introducing the 200-mile economic zones, he said his government would require further consultation among forum nations on the issue. Sir Tore also spoke of the benefits of improved regional [Communication, including air! and shipping links. He said i national or international pol-[ litics must never be allowed'

■to overrule the best approaches to such questions. | “As leaders we must (develop the foresight to i tackle the problems with inicreasing vigour and broader (horizons,” he said. “The need for integration must bring benefits to the forum nations without affecting the, independence and sovereignity of these nations.” In a reply, during which! he congratulated the Prime] Minister of Papua New) Guinea (Mr Michael Somare); on his recent re-election, the

Premier of Niue (Mr Robert Is Rex) said: “Let us not forget; that the people of the South! Pacific are the people of this* country.” After the speeches by Sir 1 Tore,and Mr Rex, the forum • went into private session. The text of opening remarks by Mr Somare was later re- : leased to reporters. In it, he said the hosting ! of the forum in Papua New 1 Guinea had been the first ] concern of the newly elected!' government. He added that P.N.G. be-1 lieved the importance of! regional co-operation trail-!; scended any different politi-’l cal attitudes at home. The opening session .<p- I pointed Mr Somare as chairman of the eighth forum and his Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Julius Chan) as deputy chairman. Mr Robert Rex, . premier o’ Niue, was named I press spokesman. It also admitted the Gilbert Islands as the tenth full member of t the forum. The acceptance I of the Gilbert Islands was ; [ received unanimously, and The fear for confrontation '

- on whether it fully qualified] for admittance was avoided. The metropolitan powers > — Australia and New Zea- • land — played a low-key • role in the opening, although ! two demonstrators outside : the conference hall at the i administration college disijtributed an appeal against ■'alleged genocide in Irian I Jaya. J A circular addressed to .(heads of government at the | forum included an appeal for ' the withdrawal of Australian . Air Force units from their

I soil. [ An official with the Prime i Minister of Australia (Mr Fraser) said the air force was carrying out a mapping project as part of an aid programme. The demonstrators were refused permission to address the forum. Holding placards calling for freedom for “West New Guinea,” they tried to present copies of an appeal 'signed by the leader of the ; “Provisional Government of I West Papua. (Mr Jacob Pray),” to visiting heads of ! government. They were * blocked by a wall of plain- ! clothes police, who obscured their placards. Mr Pray said in his appeal that a Melanesian people of the South Pacific was at the brink of extinction through a policy of genocide, 1000 having been massacred by Indonesian troops in the central highlands this year alone. Mr Pray said there was particular concern about the R.A.A.F. personnel helping to draw maps which he said

it were being used by the In'donesians for bombing opers ations against villages. “We cannot guarantee the ■ safety of Australian Air 1 Force-personnel, irrespective ! of whether or not they carry : Indonesian troops,” Mr Pray ■ said. t The longest speech of the i day at the conference was by the Australian Prime i Minister (Mr Fraser), who i was allowed to speak on a ■ later agenda item because he i had to fly home last evening. Mr Fraser supported the Papua New Guinea proposal that machinery be set up for consultation with the Asso- . ciation of South-East Asian Nations, saying all nations had wider ties than those : with the nations of their I i own region alone. The A.S.E.A.N. group was , already developing a quite ! significant relationship with] , Australia, New 7 Zealand and Japan, Mr Fraser said. ■ He also suggested that it ’ would be a good idea if the > Commonwealth nations of! the Pacific held regional! > meetings so they could] define their regional views' I in a wider Commonwealth context. I This matter was first! ’ raised at the last Com-' i monwealth heads of government conference in London! I by the P.N.G. prime minister ' (Mr Somare), who said that! : he thought a dis-j • proportionate amount of time was being given to , African affairs within the! 1 Commonwealth. The forum meeting finishes tomorrow.