U.S. wants to persuade, not punish

Press, 18 March 1985, Page 10

U.S. wants to persuade, not punish

By

PETER O’HARA,

NZPA staff correspondent London

The United States Government wants to persuade, not punish, New Zealand over the A.N.Z.U.S. row, said the American Ambassador in London, Mr Charles Price. Mr Price told N.Z.P.A. when answering questions by foreign press representatives, “It is certainly not the United States Government’s intention or desire in any way, shape, or form to want to do anything punitive to our New Zealand friends.” New Zealand had abrogated the provisions of the tripartite defence alliance by refusing the entry of a

United States warship,' he said. But his Government was “hoping over a period of time we will be able to be more persuasive than I guess we have in the past.” Washington hoped the New Zealand Government would be convinced of the need to moderate or relax its policy. “It is in your best interests as well as our own,” Mr Price said. New Zealand had been a “great friend” of the United States for many years. “When New Zealand saw fit through your Government to withdraw rights to port entry ... it was a matter .of considerable disappointment.”

Mr Price said it was probable that the New Zealand move had some impact in weakening other alliances. He noted that British as well as American warships sought port calls. The Ambassador said, at a Foreign Press Association lunch, that President Reagan was strongly in favour of eliminating nuclear weapons and the United States hoped the disarmament talks with the Soviet Union in Geneva would “proceed in a positive and rapid manner.” “We are prepared, however, for a slow pace and will remain at the table as long as it takes to come to terms with the Soviet Union on strategic, intermediate,

and defensive systems.” Mr Price said he knew Mr Reagan well. “Some have suggested that since President Reagan is in his last term of office he is no longer able to govern meaningfully — that he is a lame-duck President “In fact, precisely the opposite is the case.” Because he was not running for re-election he was not bound by short-term political considerations and could pursue policies. “In America the President has earned an enormous amount of trust. People know he is not always right, but they know he is trying to do the right thing.”