Canberra, 25 March 1980
O.CH881297 CONFIDENTIAL
Australia- New Zealand Economic Relations
Separate (in most cases BB(1)) messages contain the texts of:
- The communique and annex(2) released by the Australian and New Zealand Prime Ministers after their meeting in Wellington on 20-21 March. (The fourth and the last paragraph of the communique will be of particular interest to third countries as will be references to an outward looking approach in paras 8 and 10.
- A paper entitled ‘Points to Draw on in Discussions with Other Governments’ agreed between Australian and New Zealand officials;(3)
- The text of a statement made by the Prime Minister in the House of Representatives on 25 March;
-
Wellington’s O.WL5050 reporting the text of a New Zealand all posts cable of 21 March.(4)
- You should draw on these messages in briefing Governments to which you are accredited or in responding to press enquiries. We would be grateful if any critical host Government reaction or press comment could be reported to Canberra and repeated or copied to Wellington for information.
- We have agreed with the New Zealanders that it would be appropriate for Australian and New Zealand representatives accredited to Forum countries to jointly brief their host Governments. In all other cases it is considered that unless posts have strong views to the contrary separate briefings would be appropriate. In briefing host Governments you should stress 1. that no commitment to any specific proposal has been entered into at this stage nor has any timetable for further decisions been agreed, and 2. that essentially what emerged from the meeting on 20-21 March was an agreement to conduct further and more detailed studies in accordance with certain principles and guidelines.
- In the event that any host Government should raise the question of most favoured nation treatment on the basis of principles (c) and (d) of the communique such an approach should be referred to Canberra for a detailed reply.
[NAA: A1838, 370/1119/18, xvii]
- 1 i.e. ‘by bag’
- 2 Document 93.
- 3 Document 95.
- 4 TNew Zealand sent a similar telegram to its posts.