Minister speaks out for A.N.Z.U.S.

Press, 8 September 1982, Page 6

Minister speaks out for A.N.Z.U.S.

PA Wellington The Minister of Defence. Mr Thomson, has attacked "irresponsible scaremongering" against the A.N.Z.U.S. alliance and the "naive impracticably" of nuclear-free zones. Mr Thomson, speaking yesterday during the Budget debate in Parliament, reiterated that the Government would “never compromise its A.N.Z.U.S. linkages" and it would work hard to develop them. The Soviet Union had 26 strategic missile submarines in its Pacific fleet — one of its largest concentrations - but this was seldom acknowledged by “those who make most noise about these things." he said. New United States' weapons systems and the Trident missile submarines were always highlighted but little was heard about the Soviet submarines or its strategic bomber forces in East Asia, including the backfire bombers. "We in New Zealand must face the new facts of Soviet power in the Pacific," he said. Balance and objectivity were needed to make worthwhile contributions to an analysis of defence issues. "There is in this commun-

itv. and also in this House, irresponsible scaremongering to the effect that A.N.Z.U.S. is some kind of threat to New Zealand and our independence." he said. But it was a framework for consultation and collaboration and not a prescription for standing forces or combined command arrangements. "Under A.N.Z.U.S. we do not have any automatic commitments. All such questions are able to be decided in accordance with the constitutional processes of an independent country." he said. Mr Thomson also said that A.N.Z.U.S. was not a nuclear alliance, but an alliance between a super-Power and two regional countries, of which at least one realised it was small and isolated. “Our major partner clearly has nuclear weapons at its disposal but to suggest that that in turn brings New Zealand into the nuclear weapons game is a pathetic misreading of the facts of nuclear and global power,” said Mr Thomson.

Any destabilisation of the balance of forces between super-Powers would be disastrous for the whole world, and that was why the Government rejected “ill-thought-out and unenforcable notions” about nuclear-free

zones. Mr Thomson said the Government would support, if attainable, "verifiable" proposals for nuclear-free zones but he said they would have to be endorsed by the nuclear Powers. Anything less "would not be worth the paper it is written on." and a "dangerous delusion." The Falklands war showed that sovereign nations still had interests of their own which they might have to fight for. Britain was able to draw powerful diplomatic, economic, and other support from N.A.T.O. allies and other partners including New Zealand, Mr Thomson said. However, this support was “not such as to cause these other countries to go to war on Britain’s behalf," he said. New Zealand had to accept, therefore, that there was a possibility of direct challenge to its national interests which it might have to meet from its own resources.

“No doubt we will always be able to count on the support of our allies." Mr Thomson said.

“But no agreement could ever guarantee that in all circumstances they would be bound to put their young men to war for interests which may be remote from, their own.” he said.