Importance Of Interest In World Affairs

Press, Volume C, Issue 29509, 10 May 1961, Page 12

Importance Of Interest In World Affairs

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 9. “It is no longer possible for us to disregard the repercussions abroad of what we do in New Zealand even if it is only in the realm of Rugby or the unguarded comment of a taxi licensing authority in this very city,” said the Secretary of External Affairs (Mr A. D. Mclntosh) yesterday. He was addressing the convention of the New Zealand Institute of Public Administration on the administration of an independent New Zealand foreign policy.

No state today can afford to stand aloof from affairs which many of its citizens found difficult to believe really and properly concerned them. New Zealand was, nevertheless, “irrevocably involved in mankind.” “New Zealand can be affected by events in any quarter of the globe and our own actions are increasingly exposed to international interest,” he said' "It is no longer sufficient to proclaim the principles and objectives for which we stand. It is expected that we demonstrate what we are prepared to do to secure them.” . New Zealand had to seek to ensure that what it said and did abroad were in conformity with its principles and practice at home. "All our international actions are in fact a constant test of what New Zealand and New Zealanders are like,” he said. Common Interests In the interdependent world of today all peoples were bound by common interests that were not confined by national boundaries. The political and economic repercussions of events in any one country were as heedless of national l sovereignty’ as the spread of an idea or epidemic. By membership of the United Nations alone, all states had in some degree given up absolute sovereignty. Outlining the development of New Zealand's foreign policy apart from the United Kingdom, he said it was World War II which provided the setting in which this country was to assume responsibility for an independent foreign policy. This led the New Zealand Government to recognise finally the risks if exclusive dependence on the United Kingdom and to establish diplomatic posts in four other countries; to insist increasingly on recognition of its national interests and to create new machinery for the formulation, administration and expression of an independent foreign policy, Mr Mclntosh said. Since the war, New Zealand's international relations had been completely transformed. Ties with the United Kingdom, although in themselves undimjnished. had been seen as inadequate to New Zealand's security in the face of changed patterns of power in the world. There had been the development of defensive arrangements, direct relations with many countries and participation in the work of the United Nations and its agencies. Technique Instead of dealing wjth important questions by direct negotiation, with the countries concerned there was now a multilateral technique of

debate, negotiation en masse and unofficial lobbying within the framework of the United Nations. At any one time there were always several such meetings taking place. “It is in these circumstances that an external affairs department has to protect the nation’s interests overseas,” said Mr Mclntosh. “The method may be confusing, it certainly is expensive, but this is the new interdependent world and we participate as much to help solve the problems of others as those of ourselves. To neglect to do so may involve the sacrifice of our own vital national interests," he said. In certain respects New Zealand was more favourably placed in the conduct of foreign policy than were many other nations of comparable or larger size. It was free of any of the political complexities which beset other countries. It was geographically remote. It had a unitary form of government and relations between Government and public service were straightforward. Responsibility for the conduct of foreign affairs was clearly defined and clashes of departmental interest were rare, Mr Mclntosh said. As a member of the Commonwealth New Zealand participated in an established system of consultation and exchange of information and was able to follow political developments even in areas where it had no diplomatic representation or independent sources of information. Difficulties There were also certain marked difficulties for New Zealand. [ The temporary quarters m Parliament Buildings were grossly overcrowded and limited expansion and a decision on the future location of the External Affairs Department could not be delayed much longer. A second but diminishing difficulty was the reluctance still apparent in New Zealand to accept the need for independent New Zealand policies or for the administrative refinements and expansion they demanded. There was still a tendency to regard external affairs as a somewhat unwelcome luxury, he said. Regular assurances by visitors that New Zealand had an influence far beyond its size were not always matched by a willingness to devote to this country’s international activity the full financial and physical resources needed. The principal difficulty was that under existing circumstances it was difficult to inaintain an intake of properly qualified officers to provide adequate staff for existing and new missions and to offset the drift to more lucrative pursuits. ’’This situation is the more sdrious because of the unreasonable risks involved in accepting less than the highest standard for New Zealand representatives abroad," he eaid. “In the field of external relations no concessions are made because a particular country may be small or poor or

lacking in experience in the conduct of its own affairs, “In all international negotiations it is assumed that those participating are in every way equipped to present their country’s position and to defend its interests. “It’s just too bad if they can’t. ‘‘New Zealand is, in fact, confronted with the need to produce representatives able to hold their own with the best of other lands,” said Mr Mclntosh.