Somare’S London Debut

Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, Mr Michael Somare, made an impressive debut at his maiden Commonwealth heads of government conference in London when he set out his country’s posi tion clearly on a number of issues.

Some of the points he discussed were; • Foreign aid, • Racism; • Peace, neutrality and nuclear testing and • Regional groupings.

He said PNG recognised the in creasing burden of external debt servicing of developing countries, but did not support a general moratorium of debt servicing as proposed by the commonwealth ex

perts group. PNG believed that in creasing the flow of aid to countries with debt problems would penalise those countries which had, so far, avoided the problem by responsible management of their economies.

That method of assistance could remove the incentive for sound economic management; also, it did not necessarily follow that countries without debt servicing did not re quire aid funds. While PNG re cognised the diverse economic, political and social circumstances which affected member countries’ internal management, she believed better internal management of aid and international loans would con tribute greatly to development efforts.

PNG’s short experience since in

dependence in economic man agement indicated that approach.

For example, she had. as one of her tools of economic management, her hard currency policy and stabilisa tion funds for her four major com modities. which had benefited her during recent world economic crises.

PNG felt it was important that economic policies of countries affected should be reshaped to stimulate exports. Those efforts would be greatly stimulated if industrialised nations made real efforts to reduce the stiff tariff and non-tariff barriers which continued to discriminate against a number of export commodities of the poor nations.

Mr Somare said PNG encouraged the formation of regional groupings within the commonwealth to foster economic co-operation and unders tanding of issues of common con cern. That was the objective of the South Pacific Forum and its offshoot, the South Pacific Bureau for Economic Co-operation. He hoped the forum would be re cognised fully by the commonwealth countries as a regional organisation.

He said PNG would like to see both the Indian and South Pacific Oceans as zones of true peace and neutrality. She would oppose nuclear testing and any military build-up through the rivalry of super powers in those areas.

In the commonwealth there were developed countries and developing countries, whose interests did not necessarily coincide. The problems which prevailed in member nations were many and varied. To move close to finding solutions meant each one had to be prepared to com promise. if necessary.

PNG would not recognise or deal with any government which practis ed racist policies. PNG was firmly against the present situation in South Africa and considered the presence of South Africa in Namibia (South-West Africa) illegal. PNG deplored the actions of Idi Amin, and looked to the African states to take a firmer action against Uganda.

“We would like to see majority rule in South Africa and Rhodesia and welcome efforts made by the United States and the United Kingdom Government to negotiate a settlement there,” Mr Somare said.