Arms race

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33452, 6 February 1974, Page 10

Arms race

Sir, —Friday’s editorial in “The Press” on the nuclear arms race was excessively pessimistic about New Zealand’s ability to “really influence events.” Certainly, if New Zealand acts alone, (her actions are less likely to be effective, but there is much to be gained by nonnuclear nations banding together to try to force the nuclear nations to destroy their existing stocks of hydrogen bomb rockets. The cost of such a joint campaign would almost certainly be less than the cost of acquiring nuclear armaments of their own. What the New Zealand Government needs to do, if it is serious about its foreign policy, is to pay some New Zealand equivalent of Dr Kissinger to work full-time on negotiations to secure the support of countries like Japan and India for a policy of uniting to persuade and pressure the nuclear nations towards serious disarmament. This would cost less than further frigates.—Yours etc., MARK D. SADLER. February 3, 1974. Pen-friends wanted An Australian boy, aged 12, would like to correspond with New Zealanders. He is Phillip Johnston, 27 Edkin St, Downer, A.C.T., Australia.