U.S. denies pressure
NZPA staff correspondent, HUGH NEVILL Washington An advertisement in the “Washington Post” yesterday by New Zealanders accusing the United States of putting pressure on the New Zealand Government over port visits by nuclearpowered or nuclear-armed ships brought a sharp riposte from the State Department.
“It is not true that we are pressuring New Zealand,” a spokesman, Mr Bill Lenderking, told NZPA. “We have been discussing the issue with New Zealand Government officials for several months because of the effect on friendly visits by United States naval vessels,” he said.
“We will continue those discussions in an effort to resolve the issue in a manner that is supportive of A.N.Z.U.S. defence co-opera-tion.”
The advertisement’s support for a nuclear-free South Pacific could be misconstrued, ’Mr Lenderking said. "The United States has
supported the establishment of regional nuclear weaponfree zones under appropriate conditions and when consistent with certain criteria based on United Nations resolutions.
“We are reviewing carefully the development of this particular proposal but we neither endorse nor oppose it until we have more details to consider.”
The quarter-page advertisement was headed, “A letter to America from the people of New Zealand.”
The bulk of the advertisement is taken up by names of people and Labour Party branches contributing toward its cost. It said in part, “We register our support for: “The New Zealand Government’s policies banning all nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed vessels from our shores. “The proposal for a nuclear-free South Pacific.”. The advertisement said the Reagan Administration was trying to undermine these policies. The member of Parliament for Sydenham, Mr J. P. Anderton, said yesterday that Labour members did not sign the advertisement because they feared it could be used to paint the Government as anti-American. Social Credit’s deputy leader, Mr Knapp, was the only member of Parliament to sign the advertisement. Mr Anderton said there had been an informal cussion on the but not initiated by Cabinet Ministers. ■
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Press, 7 November 1984, Page 3
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321U.S. denies pressure Press, 7 November 1984, Page 3
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