The Pacific Community Idea: An Australian Perspective
1983; ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute; Volume: 5; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1355/cs5-1b
ISSN0129-797X
Autores Tópico(s)New Zealand Economic and Social Studies
ResumoThe past two decades have seen the growth of a minor industry devoted to thinking about the future of the Pacific region. Much of this interest has to do with the presumed virtues and advantages of closer regional co-operation in a Pacific Ocean context. It is a complex field in which economists, businessmen and a few would-be Jean Monnef's of the Pacific have blazed the trail. Depending on whom one chooses to listen to, the Pacific Community is something that already exists, or is an idea that is long overdue, ripe for implementa tion, premature, or irrelevant.1 Smaller Pacific countries note that the main impetus has come from the most economically advanced states of the region, and, in particular, two economic giants, Japan and the United States. This has understandably led quite a few to be wary. Those so small that they can be ignored if they choose not to co operate even wonder along with Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, Michael Somare, whether, in the language of the Godfather, we are being made an offer we can't refuse.2 This paper briefly reviews aspects of the evolution of the Pacific Community concept in the context of the interaction of economic, political and strategic factors in Australia's external relations, and argues that the idea provides an opportunity for Australia to correct distortions and anomalies at present evident in its external relations that appear to arise out of a sense of being something of an endangered species, left beached on foreign shores by the falling tides of Empire.
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