Sir Robert to participate in a radio phone-in

Press, 27 April 1984, Page 21

Sir Robert to participate in a radio phone-in

NZPA staff correspondent London The Prime Minister. Sir Robert Muldoon, will take part in a global phone-in organised by the British Broadcasting Corporation's World Service. He is one of six leaders so far lined up for eight weeklv phone-ins starting in May ‘ Others taking part are King Hussein of Jordan; the United States Defence Secretary. Mr Caspar Weinberger. the Commonwealth Secretary-General. Sir Shridath Ramphal; the Irish Prime Minister, Dr Garret Fitz Gerald; and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr Poul Hurtling. Leaders who declined to participate included Singapore's Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew; the Indian Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi; and Zimbabwe's Prime Minister, Mr Robert Mugabe. The Israeli Defence Minister, Mr Moshe Arens, said that he could not take part because he would be at a Cabinet meeting. The phone-in with Sir Robert has been fixed tenatively for June 3, the BBC. has said. "He has been very helpful," a spokesman said. “We are especially pleased he agreed to participate because we wanted to have someone from that part of the world." Sir Robert is expected to take about 10 to 15 calls from various parts of the world in the 45-minute programme. Listeners will be asked to write in first saying what they would like to talk to the leaders about. The BBC. will then call selected listeners and connect them with Sir Robert in Wellington. More than 200 people wanted to talk to the British Prime Minister, Mrs Thatcher, in a similar programme last year. The phone-in will be broadcast live on the 8.8. C. World Service and on Radio 4 in Britain. It will be chaired by the 8.8.C.’s Michael Charlton, who will introduce the participants.