Mr Fraser stands by letter

Press, 19 September 1986, Page 4

Mr Fraser stands by letter

NZPA-AAP Canberra The former Australian Prime Minister, Mr Malcolm Fraser, yesterday defended a private letter he wrote to the Unted States Vice-President, Mr George Bush, urging a change in American tactics in the A.N.Z.U.S. row with New Zealand. “It really is ludicrous to suggest that communications between people who know each other quite well should end when certain events have occurred,” Mr Fraser told the National Press Club in Canberra.

His only regret was that the suggestion contained in the letter had not been pursued. A copy of the letter,

dated March 7, 1985, was leaked to the Melbourne “Age” newspaper on Wednesday by the Leftwing Victorian union leader and Senate Labour candidate, Mr John Halfpenny.

Mr Fraser wrote in the letter that the A.N.Z.U.S. agreement looked like being “entirely submerged” and replaced by a de facto defence arrangement between the United States and Australia which he doubted would be lasting or stable under a Labour Government.

The time had come for a “significant change” of emphasis in the conduct of the dispute, he said, suggesting that British

ships were also being banned from New Zealand, and the traditional New Zealand-British relationship should be exploited by the United States.

Mr Fraser also indicated in the letter that Mr Hawke, in advising the United States to take a strong stand, had niisjudged the issue and played into the hands of the Australian and New Zealand Left wing.

In a hand-written covering note, Mr Fraser advised Mr Bush that “it would not be helpful if the fact of this letter existing gets back to Australia.”

In a short reply, Mr Bush said he would hold

Mr Fraser’s “extraordinarily interesting letter ... very, very closely.”

“I don’t feel comfortable commenting on it here for the reasons you cited in your letter, but I just want you to know that I was very grateful for the Fraser insight,” Mr Bush said, adding his warm best wishes.

Mr Fraser said he did not regard the letter as “interference.”

“Acquaintances, knowledge, friendship don’t dissipate because one gets voted out of office,” he said.

“My only regret really is that the suggestion contained in that letter wasn’t pursued.”