Non-alignment urged for N.Z.

Press, 2 April 1980, Page 15

Non-alignment urged for N.Z.

PA Wellington A campaign to end New Zealand’s military involvement with the United States has been announced at the annual meeting of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

The group believes that the recent meetings of A.N.Z.U.S. nations _- in Washington are redefining the nature of the pact in a manner no longer consistent with the best interests of New Zealanders. “A.N.Z.U.S. is no longer a treaty to defend the sovereignty of New Zealand but a commitment to send expeditionary forces to defend U.S. interest abroad,” said, a C.N.D. spokesman, Mr Richard Ndrthey.

New Zealand interests and United States interests were not necessarily the same, he said. He believed that in the face of pressure by the United States and Australia to increase defence spending to support a more active, presence in the Indian Ocean, New Zealanders had to take a hard look at the value for money A.N.Z.U.S. offered them.

“The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament will push for a formal military assessment of non-align-ment and the writing and release of an analysis by the Commission for the Future of non-alignment as an alternative defence strategy,” he said.