P.N.G. charges States with ‘reckless bullying’

Press, 14 March 1985, Page 34

P.N.G. charges States with ‘reckless bullying’

By

OLIVER RIDDELL

in Wellington An attack on the “reckless bullying” and heavyhanded way the United States has been treating Pacific countries has come from the Papua-New Guinea Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr John Giheno. The text of his statement has been issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, in Wellington. “The Papua-New Guinea Government is deeply concerned about the reckless bullying and heavy-handed way the United States has been treating relations with countries in the Pacific,” Mr Giheno said.

His Government had formed this view after studying recent United States actions in dealing with the Solomons Island Government on fisheries matters, and New Zealand on its policy not to allow

nuclear-powered or nuclear armed vessels to call at New Zealand ports.

Recent United States attitudes and actions towards two prominent members of the South Pacific Forum should alarm other forum countries, he said.

Papua-New Guinea was not prepared to remain silent or indifferent to the “unreasonable pressure and demands” placed on member countries of the Forum.

The Forum represented a region which was unquestionably pro-Western in its values and ideologies. “It appears that this has been taken for granted or treated casually by the United States in its latest actions towards two leading members of the Forum,” Mr Giheno said.

Papua-New Guinea believed that the conduct of relations between the United States and individual countries of the Forum

should continue to be based on mutual respect and equality. Each country had the right to determine policies which were in the best interests of its people.

“The recent insensitive and heavy-handed tactics of the United States could contribute to unnecessary tensions in the region and lure foreign elements, who have the capacity to destabilise the Pacific region, to involve themselves in the affairs of the region,” he said.

The Pacific had a relatively peaceful and stable environment. It must remain free from rivalry between major world Powers, and also free from destructive nuclear weapons.

Co-operation between the United States and the Pacific countries on fisheries matters would only be meaningful if the United States recognised and respected the rights of island States over their 200-mile

exclusive economic zones. Mr Giheno gave a warning about the recent difference between the United States and New Zealand on port calls by United States nuclear-powered or nuclear armed vessels. The latest United States actions would influence the position to be taken later this year by the Papua-New Guinea government on a proposed treaty between Forum countries to establish a nuclear-free zone, and related arrangements. Although island countries were not parties to the A.N.Z.U.S. treaty linking the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, its scope of application covered the Pacific region, he said. Inland countries, therefore, had g direct interest in the peace, stability, and development of the Pacific, and the maintenance of close, co-operative relations between the three A.N.Z.U.S. partners.