Peace force speculation

Press, 4 June 1982, Page 1

Peace force speculation

PA .Wellington The New Zealand Government will consider "sympathetically" any request by Britain for New Zealand to join a Falkland Islands peace-keeping force. The Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) yesterday responded to speculation that New Zealand would be asked to join a force by repeating statements he made on the issue in London last month. But Mr Muldoon said that no request had been received from Britain.

The peace-keeping force question was raised in London by the "Daily Mirror" newspaper which speculated that Australia. New Zealand, and Chile, would be asked to put troops on the Falklands. Mr Muldoon had already speculated on New Zealand's likely attitude to such- a move,when he was in London last month.

Yesterday he said, “If we are approached by the British .. . we will give it every consideration . . . this is the kind of request we would consider sympathetically." The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) said that Labour would also consider supporting a peace-keeping role in the Falkland Islands.

But Mr Rowling said that any such peace-keeping force should be under United Nations auspices, should be directed to ensuring a longterm solution to the dispute, and “above all allow the

Falkland Islanders the right to determine their own future."

Australia had not been approached to take part in a multi-national peace-keeping force in the Falkland Islands,

said a Foreign Affairs Department spokesman yester : dav.