N.Z., Aust. Opposed To A-Tests By Any Nation

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30234, 12 September 1963, Page 13

N.Z., Aust. Opposed To A-Tests By Any Nation

I f rom Out Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, September 11. “I cannot emphasise enough that the Government’s concern is with the possible dangers and implications of any further nuclear testing, especially in the Pacific, and not with the fact that at this particular time it should be France which envisages carrying out such tests,” said the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) in the House of Representatives this afternoon.

A Canberra message says the Australian Minister of External Affairs (Sir Garfield Barwick) reaffirmed yesterday that French nuclear tests in the Pacific might provide a pretext for others to invoke the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty’s “escape clause” and renew testing.

Mr Holyoake, who was replying to Mr W. W. Freer (Opp., Mount Albert), said it had been made abundantly evident by the French authorities themselves that they had had to take cognisance of the strength of feeling which had been aroused in virtually all countries bordering the Pacific. They had indeed suggested that New’ Zealand’s longstanding, constantly friendly relations with France could be endangered by continued opposition to the holding of nuclear tests in French Polynesia.

He could only say, in response to Mr Freer's suggestion of the Government initiating a joint protest, that by making their individual representations the countries concerned had already shown, with perhaps more effect than a joint protest, the spontaneous nature of the view they all shared. The Government would take every appropriate opportunity in the United Nations and other forums to press strongly for the complete cessation of nuclear testing by all nations, Mr Holyoake said. Australian Note

Sir Garfield Barwick made his suggestion in a note to France last week. He reaffirmed it yesterday when commenting at a press conference on the broad text of another note he sent to the

French Ambassador to Australia. Sir Garfield Barwick’s latest note was in reply to a French Note to Australia last week iq which France protested against objections by Australia and other Pacific nations to tests in the Pacific. Sir Garfield Barwick said yesterday that the French objections to the Australian attitude on Pacific testing could arise only from France's incomplete understanding of Australia's position He said the French Note failed to take into account the altered international situation after the conclusion of the Test-Ban Treaty. Australia had been urging all nations to accept the treaty, particularly those which aspired to develop their own nuclear forces. Sir Garfield Barwick said he had told the French Ambassador to Australia he was not merely concerned with the hazards to health but at the danger of further testing and the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Pretext For Others Sir Garfield Barwick told the press conference that French testing in the Pacific

might give others the pretext to renew or begin testing Australia's point of view would be shared by the overwhelming majority of nations, he said.

Sir Garfield Barwick said his reply noted the French undertaking that precautions and safeguards would be taken during the testing but the Australian Government was also aware that scientific knowledge of the effects of radioactive fallout was incomplete and the result of even a small increase in the level of radioactivity could not be predicted with certainty.

He could not accept the French suggest.on that Australia had made no protest concerning recent Soviet and American tests. Australia had protested, he said