Importance attached to A.N.Z.U.S. reaffirmed

Press, 10 June 1978, Page 2

Importance attached to A.N.Z.U.S. reaffirmed

.jNZPA * Washington) >j Australia. New Zealand,! 1 J and the United States, the! [three members of I , A.NJZ.U.S., have reaffirmed) ithe importance that each at-, [taches to the alliance as ani {element in the framework of Western security. In a communique issued ini Washington after the twen-ty-seventh meeting of the A.N.Z.U.S. council, the part-] nets also termed the alliance, “a means of maintaining and developing the individual! i and collective capacity of its members to resist armed at-! [tack.” ■ The Minister of Foreign! .[Affairs (Mr B. Taiboys) led the New Zealand delegation;! Australias Minister of Forleign Affairs (Mr Andrew) ..Peacock) represented Australia; and the Secretary of) 'state (Mr Cyrus Vance) I headed the American team. [I The communique said that ; j the Ministers recognised the I central importance of prac-, tical co-operative supply and I ■support arrangements within .the alliance which would! facilitate the expansion of Australian and New Zealand [forces in contingent circumstances. “The Ministers welcomed the progress made in thej . planning and conduct of mil- i ! itary exercises as a means! of strengthening military co- . operation and testing its! effectiveness,” it said. The communique added.

[that the Ministers agreed (that A.N.Z.U.S. makes a [significant contribution to ■regional stability and to the ; prospects for continued peace and economic development in the Asia-Pacific: region “The Ministers emphasised the particular importance of Japan in regional and global affairs and emphasised the importance of Japan’s efforts to increase domestic demand and reduce its trade surplus.” The four-page communique noted that the Ministers also: I Reaffirmed their intention to continue to play major roles in ensuring permanent resettlement of Indo-Chinese refugees. Expressed support for the establishment of a South Pacific regional fisheries agency. Reviewed negotiations be- | tween the United States and the Soviet Union to; limit their military pres-! ence in the Indian Ocean, agreeing that the balance of such military! presence should be) maintained at the lowest, possible level and saying that an Indian Ocean arms limitation agreement must not detract from the A.N.Z.U.S. alliance.

Emphasised the importance of a successful outcome of the United States-So-viet Union S.A.L.T. talks. ! Expressed their concern about developments in southern Africa and the I Hom of Africa and urged the Soviet Union and Cuba to refrain from military intervention in African disputes. I The communique said that jin reviewing the global I economic situation, the Ministers reaffirmed the prin'ciple that the economic health of the three partners was of concern to each. “They emphasised that a general reduction of barriers to trade and resistance to protectionist pressures were essential.”

■ They also agreed that an early successful completion of the multilateral trade negotiations would be an important element in this process.

“They emphasised the need for those negotiations to reduce substantially barriers to trade in agricultural products.”

The 1979 A.N.Z.U.S council meeting will be held in Canberra on a date yet to be fixed.