Signal to those following N-stand

Press, 7 February 1985, Page 2

Signal to those following N-stand

NZPA-AAP New York

A State Department spokesman warned yesterday that countries which follow New Zealand’s example of barring nucleararmed or nuclear-powered warships, should expect retaliation.

The warning was aimed at Australia’s growing antinuclear forces as well as those in Japan and Europe.

“Some Western countries have anti-nuclear and other movements which seek to diminish defence co-opera-tion among the allied States,” the spokesman said. “We hope that our response to New Zealand would signal that the course these movements advocate would not be cost-free in terms of security relationships with the United States.”

The Reagan Administration announced yesterday that it had withdrawn from the A.N.Z.U.S. naval exercise, “Sea Eagle,” as a first step to punish New Zealand for its ban. Officials are now considering what additional steps might be taken, including the denial to New Zealand of Intelligence information, high technology, military equipment, and expertise. There was immediate reaction on Capitol Hill. Senator William Cohen (Republican, Maine), called for economic sanctions against New Zealand.

However, Reagan officials would not comment on the Australian Prime Minister’s expected surprise decision to withdraw airport facilities in Sydney for American aircraft monitoring MX missile tests in the Tasman Sea.

A State Department official said that this was because the Hawke Government had not formally told the United States of its decision before Mr Hawke’s arrival in Washington. No statement is expected before Mr Hawke’s official working lunch with the American Secretary of State, Mr George Shultz, and the Defence Secretary, Mr Caspar Weinberger.