Belgian King may visit

Press, 27 May 1985, Page 6

Belgian King may visit

PA Wellington King Baudouin of Belgium may visit New Zealand later this year. The visit, tentatively scheduled for November, was one of the main topics discussed with the Belgian Government by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr O’Flynn, during his tour of European countries. Mr O’Flynn left on May 8 for a sweep through Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain and Greece, amid media comment that he had official engagements for only nine days of his 22-day trip. But the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, has told told a post-caucus press conference that he told Mr O’Flynn in a cable not to be lured into matching or knocking back the media comment.

It was not possible to conduct trench warfare with the European media, he said. Mr Lange said that to avoid any suggestion of a light load, he told Mr O’Flynn he would appreciate reports from him. “Since then the lines have been hot with cables at great length showing that there has been a very substantial workload undertaken,” said Mr Lange. Mr Lange said there was legitimate press criticism that the agenda was light. Mr O’Flynn’s staff said that an important part of the Minister’s trip was presenting New Zealand’s nuclear-free policy in Europe. “It has been the first occasion for a Minister to set the story straight — to let people know what the basis of the policy is and to

give people an outline of relations with the United States,” said a staff member. Belgium has a particular interest in New Zealand’s nuclear stance because of its recent decision to accept American nuclear-armed cruise missiles. Mr O’Flynn also discussed East-West relations and New Zealand’s view of New Caledonia with the Belgian Foreign Minister. He met the EEC’s external relations commissioner, partly to maintain pressure for continued New Zealand access to European markets, but also to get the E.E.C. view of its enlargement next year when Spain and Portugal join. Mr O’Flynn’s staff said that Ministers and officials in Spain and Portugal also showed interest in New Zealand's anti-nuclear stance.