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04.05.2001 10:39:03
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Ðóáðèêè
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Ñîâðåìåííîñòü;
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Re: A áaáa...
Privetstvuyu
ALP irrational in opposing missile defence: Downer
Source: AAP|Published: Friday May 4, 9:17 AM
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer today attacked Labor over its objections to the proposed United States missile defence scheme, saying it was irrational and reminiscent of the anti-US diatribes of the 1950s.
Speaking to reporters in London, Mr Downer said Australia was only likely to be involved in the missile defence system through the Pine Gap relay facility, which could transmit information to the US about missile launches.
He said that base, outside Alice Springs, had been in place for a couple of decades and had been used many times.
“The fact is that under a coalition government we will continue to allow that to be used, whether the US has a missile defence system or not,” he said on ABC radio.
“If Labor was to come to government in Australia, they say they would not allow the relay station to be used to enable the US to detect missiles heading towards the US from rogue states if the US had the capacity to destroy those missiles.
“I regard that as completely irrational.
“The interesting thing about the Labor Party's position on the missile defence issue is that they have taken a stronger position even than Russia.
“Whereas Russia says it looks forward to consultations with the US and working with the US on these issues, the Labor Party has come out with a kind of anti-American diatribe reminiscent of some elements of the Labor Party of the 1950s.”
Mr Downer said the US felt it was weakened by threats from rogue states and that was not in Australia's interests.
He said the US had made the judgment that it was important to maintain its international role and Australia was prepared to go along with that.
“I don't think this has upset out relationship with China,” he said.
“They haven't protested to Australia about the missile defence system.
“They have made their position clear that they are opposed to the missile defence system, but what we have said is that, first of all, it is the US not Australia which is developing the missile defence system.
“The US is our principal ally and we want our principal ally to be strong, not weak. This is not a system directed against China.”
http://www.theage.com.au/breaking/2001/05/04/FFXEVFWTAMC.html