Diplomat centre of Storm

Press, 9 June 1980, Page 12

Diplomat centre of Storm

NZPA Canberri The Foreign Affairs Department was reported stunned on Friday evening by the appointment of one of its own diplomats as manager of the Australian fencing team for the Moscow Olympic Games. He is Neil Archibald, aged 35, who was Australian viceconsul in New York from 1976 until last year. The Federal Government, which urged the Australian Olympic Federation in vain to boycott the Moscow Games, did not know of the appointment in advance. Mr Archibald replaces Mr John Humphries, a Queenslander who is one of the five team officials or administrative staff to have withdrawn from the Australian team because of the Federal Government’s call for a boycott.

The Minister' of Foreign Affairs (Mr Andrew Peacock) in Washington and the Acting Minister (Mr Michael McKellar) in Canberra were believed to have been informed immediately of the appointment.

The Prime Minister . (Mr i Fraser) was holidaying on an island off North Queensland and could not be contacted.

A spokesman for the department said later that Mr Archibald had not yet received official notification of his appointment. When he did, he would make a formal application for leave to attend the Games. “When it is received, it will be considered,” the spokesman said.--

Mr Archibald said he was moderately surprised at the appointment. “It may be I will take part of my annual leave and long service leave to go,” he said.