Mr HICKS —My question is directed to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Is the minister aware of the existence of the alleged Khmer Rouge letters referred to in this morning's Age and on the ABC? Does this information contradict the account the Cambodian government has given of the David Wilson hostage case?

Mr DOWNER —I thank the honourable member for his question about the very tragic case, and ultimately the death, of David Wilson, one that I know all members of the House are deeply concerned about. I did hear the interview on the ABC this morning and I also read the article by Lindsay Murdoch on the front page of the Melbourne Age , but I have not personally seen the alleged letters referred to by the ABC or by Lindsay Murdoch. I understand that Mr Murdoch has offered to pass the letters to my office, and indeed may have done so already.

Throughout the whole of this saga, including during my time as the opposition spokesman for foreign affairs, I have always been deeply anxious to establish fully the truth of what happened to David Wilson—the circumstances of his being taken hostage and, indeed, ultimately of his murder. If new and credible evidence comes to light which affects our current understanding of events, then naturally enough as a government we would welcome that.

I learnt in the course of today that apparently the Department of Foreign Affairs had been aware of the existence of correspondence between General Chea Dara and the Khmer Rouge leader Chhouk Rin but that no instruction had been given by the previous government to obtain those letters or to establish the veracity of the information that had been provided from our embassy in Phnom Penh. I consequently have asked the post in Phnom Penh to approach the Cambodian government urgently to discuss the allegations made on the ABC AM program this morning and in the article by Lindsay Murdoch.

The coalition in opposition helped to establish a Senate inquiry, which in the end was, I think, established with all parties' support, to consider the available evidence in this case. Naturally enough, this material will be considered by that Senate inquiry.

I re-emphasise: in the meantime it is important that our embassy in Phnom Penh approach the Cambodian government to discuss the alleged letters and the allegations made in those letters because, as a government, naturally enough we want to get to the bottom of this very sorry and tragic saga.