Prisoner-swap agreement rejected

Press, 25 February 1983, Page 28

Prisoner-swap agreement rejected

NZPA Hong Kong The Government of Thailand has been informed by the Minister of Justice. Mr McLay. that New’ Zealand is not interested in negotiating a prisoner-exchange agreement. The United States. Canada, and France are among countries to have recently sought such agreements with Thailand. which is expected soon

to pass legislation permitting exchanges. Bangkok sources have said that Thai officials who met Mr McLay during his visit there were prepared to discuss prisoner exchanges. but that they were left in no doubt that NewZealand was not interested. Two New Zealanders are serving long prison sentences in Thailand for drug offences. One. Andrea Resetar. has petitioned King Bhumibol for a royal pardon. A handful’of Thai citizens are in New Zealand jails, among them some/convicted of an international credit card fraud. While in Bangkok. Mr McLay met certain Thai Ministers, including the Justice Minister, Manut Bunnag, and was briefed on the present state of the drug market by officials of the ( Thai Narcotics Control Board. He also received a briefing from the Malaysian police. The Malaysian Prime Minister. Datuk Seri Mahathir Mohamad, has just launched a new campaign against drug abuse. One outcome of Mr McLay's visit to Thailand is that New Zealand and Thailand are likely to sign an extradition treaty. Before leaving Bangkok. Mr McLay issued a statement saying that New Zealand was ready to negotiate such a treaty. Until recently, New Zealand considered itself a party to a 1911 extradition treaty between Britain and Thailand. but the Thai Government did not share the same interpretation, according to Bangkok sources. Talks on a formal treaty between New Zealand and Thailand have been going on for some years, but Mr McLay’s visit is expected to result in the matter being given greater urgency. Although there have been no recent cases where either country has sought extradition of suspected offenders, drug enforcement officers are believed to be particularly keen to get a formal treaty signed. Mr McLay also discussed procedures for co-operation in the taking of evidence for cases in the other nation’s courts.

There was some criticism of the New Zealand police over the disclosure of information used as evidence against Miss Resetar during her trial in 1980.