P.M. unhappy at backbencher’s letter on N-ships

Press, 19 July 1983, Page 1

P.M. unhappy at backbencher’s letter on N-ships

PA Wellington A Government member of Parliament, Miss Marilyn Waring, had her knuckles rapped by the Prime Minister, Mr Muldoon, for the way she expressed opposition to visits from United States nuclear-armed warships.

Miss Waring made public a letter she wrote to the American Ambassador, Mr Monroe Brown. Mr Muldoon said yesterday an “open letter is a discourtesy to the addressee.” He would not comment further, saying that he did not discuss open letters. The letter said the United States was treating New Zealand as if it was an enemy by not saying whether visiting Navy ships carried nuclear weapons.

She warned Mr Brown that New Zealand will want links with America cut if it did not give an assurance it would respect New Zealand’s anti-nuclear policy. The Ambassador is not in New Zealand at present, and is expected to reply on his return. Mr Muldoon would not

answer when, asked if Miss Waring’s views were widespread in the National Party. He said he was in general .agreement with the comments of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Cooper, who questioned the future of the A.N.Z.U.S. alliance in the event of a Labour government being elected. “On their (Labour’s) present policy, A.N.Z.U.S. couldn’t continue,” Mr Muldoon said.

Miss Waring found an ally in the Labour Party president, Mr J. P. Anderton, who said: “She deserves the respect and support of all New Zealanders and particularly from her colleagues who have the same concern as she does.” Mr Anderton saw Mr Cooper’s remarks as an attempt to damage New Zealand’s friendly relations with the United States “under a Labour government.”

The Labour Party, at its last annual conference, had decided that no nuclearpowered or nuclear-armed warships from any nation, including the Soviet Union, would be allowed to enter any New Zealand port, he said. The Minister was irresponsibly misstating this as an anti-American stand. “If he cannot act in the best interests of all New Zealanders, he should resign his portfolio or be removed from it by the Prime Minister,” said Mr Anderton.

Further report, page 2