Warship exercise at planning stage

Press, 14 August 1976, Page 2

Warship exercise at planning stage

By •

MAX LAMBERT,

NZPA staff correspondent

\\ ashington I he exercise b\ a I nited States nuclear-powered warship and New Zealand naval and air units is not expected to be held tor several months.

A Defence Department spokesman said yesterday that a New Zealandt nited States exercise was being planned now. find would not take place for several months, but it would be held Itefore the end of the year. A joint announcement could be expected in five or six weeks the spokesman added. “The specifics of the exercise have still to be worked out between New Zealand and the United States, and the exercise is several fnonths away.” The spokesman declined to confirm that the exercise will be the one in which a United States nuclear ship will take part, but it is believed that it will be. Earlier this month the New Zealand Minister of Defence (Mr McCready) said an American nuclear warship would exercise with New Zealand naval and air units this year. He would not give a date! or say what type of nuclear-1 powered warship would visit New Zealand. The Defence Department; spokesman also declined to) give the type of ship. I The planned exercise was! described by the depart-’ ment s spokesman as just one of a series of exercises) involving New Zealand. Australia, and the United States’ in the southern oceans. The spokesman said he could not confirm newspaper! reports from New Zealand! that the United States nu-i clear submarine Snooki might visit a New Zealand; port later this month. A spokesman for the Aus- 1 trahan Embassy in Washington ,said the Snook ’would i pay a six-day visit this month to the Cockburn I naval base, now under construction in Western Austra-’ ha. There has been no announcement that the Snook. I the first nuclear-powered! American warship to visit! Australia since the election; of the new Liberal Govern-1 ment announced that such; vessels would be welcome.’ will visit other Australian! ports. In Canberra, Government! sources said yesterday that

plans were being made for a major international military ‘ (exercise in Australia later’ this veat. Several thousand -.ervicemen from the United States. Britain. Australia, and possiblv New Zealand Would take part. A similar exercise was held in Queensland two; years ago. It was the biggest! peace-lime operation in Aus-, (traha In Wellington, the Prime! Minister’s press secretary’ (Mi E. W. Sytnmons) said) there was no proposal that! rhe first American nuclearpowered vessel to call at)

New Zealand since the government permitted them to do so should change crews in the country. He said he could not give either a date of arrival or the harbour into which the ship would sail. Three boats from the Wel-i lington Peace Squadron will keep a watch at Wellington Heads today. But a spokesman for the Squadron. Mr Ken Hulls., said he was confident that a nuc 1 e a r-powered vessel would not enter the harbour: this week-end. The watch; (was a precaution.