P.M. sees benefits in treaty with Sweden

Press, 21 June 1985, Page 24

P.M. sees benefits in treaty with Sweden

PA Wellington New Zealand and Sweden have agreed to negotiate a treaty 'of co-operation on Antarctic scientific research, the countries’ Foreign ‘ Affairs Ministers have said. S The move could mean long-term benefits for the South Island, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Lange, after the agreement was made with the Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Lennart Bodstrom. The next step would be discussions by technical experts mutually

acceptable arrangements, the Ministers said. New Zealand was regarded as a natural link to Antarctica and that led to co-operative arrangements with other nations, he said. Co-operation with visiting expeditions was mutually beneficial, with a substantial amount of money injected into the South Island economy. Mr Lange also said past Government support for the Antarctic programme was grudging at best. The Government recognised that if New Zealand

were to co-operate effectively with other countries and draw the benefits, it was essential to maintain a vigorous and effective presence in the Ross Dependency and to develop a greater degree of independence and self-reliance in Antarctic operations. As a result, the Government would give priority to funding the Antarctic programme, he said. It recently allocated additional funds to compensate for devaluation costs. Most other Government programmes had been obliged to absorb those costs.