N-plane confusion denied

Press, 5 October 1984, Page 4

N-plane confusion denied

PA Wellington The Government denied allegations in Parliament yesterday that it made contradictory and confusing statements about use of nuclear-armed planes in the Triad 84 exercise.

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Mr McLay, successfully sought a snap debate after producing a newspaper report from London quoting the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, and a Hansard report of a statement in the House on Wednesday by the Acting Minister of Defence, Mr Colman.

Mr McLay said Mr Colman was asked if the United States confirmed or

denied the existence of nuclear weapons on United States aircraft in the Triad exercise.

Mr Colman’s reply was, “Because the type of aircraft deployed by the United States Air Force to New Zealand for the exercise Triad 84 carry their weapons externally, there could be no question of covert carriage of nuclear or other weapons.” Mr Colman said that because of that, the Government did not think it necessary to seek formal confirmation or denial from the Americans.

Mr McLay said a newspaper report quoted Mr Lange as saying, “None of

the instruments of defence operating in the Triad exercises is nuclear-armed.”

He was reported as saying he had a “specific undertaking” to that effect. Mr McLay described the two statements as “diametrically opposed.”

“Both of those statements simply cannot be correct,” he said. “One of those Ministers was not speaking the truth.” The Government owed the public an explanation.

Mr Colman described the debate as “nothing more than a storm in a teacup.” The allegations of conflict in the statements had no substance.

Triad exercises always in-

volved “conventional, nonnuclear” weapons. Mr W. E. Cooper (Nat., Otago) a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, asked why the Prime Minister sought an assurance if no nuclear weapons were involved. The Minister of Energy, Mr Tizard, said Mr Lange assured his colleagues from New Delhi that he did not say he approached anyone in America about the matter.

“He said that he had the assurance from his defence specialists,” Mr Tizard said. He also quoted a statement made in Parliament by the former Minister of Defence, Mr Thomson, that there was not and never had

been any question of any nuclear-powered or nucleararmed unit taking part in Triad 84.

Mr D. L. Kidd (Nat., Marlborough) said that if the Prime Minister received an assurance he would have been the first Prime Minister In the world to have received such an assurance from a nuclear State.

“He would be crowing all round the world if he got that, but he didn’t,” he said.

The chairman of the Defence Select Committee, Mr G. B. Braybrooke (Lab., Napier) said the Opposition insulted a major ally by suggesting that A.N.Z.U.S. allies were bringing nuclear weapons into New Zealand.