Support for Aust. move

Press, 15 July 1983, Page 4

Support for Aust. move

PA Wellington Moves by Australia to have the relevance and future of A.N.Z.U.S. discussed at a meeting of the treaty partners in Washington next week were welcomed yesterday by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Cooper. The Australian Foreign Minister, Mr Bill Hayden, has suggested the matters should be discussed at the A.N.Z.U.S. council meeting on July 18 and 19. Mr Cooper, who will leave for Washington tomorrow said A.N.Z.U.S. was “in good shape and we’re pleased with the way it’s functioning.

“We will welcome any useful ideas for strengthening it further,” he said.

The A.N.Z.U.S. council met at Foreign Minister level every year to review international security and

look at co-operation under the treaty in the Pacific, Mr Cooper said. “We will also examine the world economic outlook and the problems it may present for international security.” Mr Cooper said that after

the meeting he would have two days of talks with members of the United States Cabinet on issues affecting the relationship between the two countries. He would meet the Secretary of Agriculture, Mr

John Black, the Secretary of Commerce, Mr William Brock, the Defence Secretary, Mr Caspar Weinberger, and the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Mr Charles Percy.