Pacific bloc ‘would hasten development’

Press, 27 October 1982, Page 23

Pacific bloc ‘would hasten development’

PA Wellington One of Papua-New Guinea's highest-ranking public servants has called for a Pacific bloc to strengthen the region’s voices for declaration of the region as a nuclear weapon-free zone and for vigilant opposition to any move by an outside Power to establish military facilities in the region. In an address to the, Papua New Guinea-New Zealand Society at the High Commission in Wellington, Papua New, Guinea’s Foreign AffairS’and Trade Secretary. Mr Paulius Matane, said the region could be thankful it was not as deeply involved as others in nuclear powerplay strategy or that countries within the region were not aggressively militaristic.

“However, only a supreme optimist would "predict that the Pacific will always be so lucky,” he said. Mr Matane. a former Ambassador to Washington and permanent representative to the United Nations, said he was not suggesting that the Pacific Utopia was about to be shattered. “I am saying, however, that we should not delude ourselves into thinking we will always be immune to the kinds of turmoil wrecking other areas of the world,” he added. “In essence I am advocating regionalism on ..a broad scale, a new Pacific order to strengthen the Pacific’s hand in dealing with political and economic problems,” Mr Matane said.

Mr Matane said Australia and New Zealand particularly had been in the forefront of efforts to provide island States with technical skills and social improvement. Their contribution, with those of Britain, the United States, and France, was well recognised. “Nevertheless there can be no doubting that the pace of development can be quickened through a greater degree of regional co-operation on the basis of mutual respect and quality.” He said he hoped Pacific Islanders were graced with the vision of a better, more dynamic Pacific community where “we can address and overcome the problems slowing regional unity and economic development.”