Nuclear-free zones

Press, 18 July 1985, Page 16

Nuclear-free zones

Sir, — The Rainbow Warrior sinking must make it clear that terrorism has arrived in our country and that we are not apart from the international community. It is naive to think that “it cannot happen here” and the point I keep making is that declaring our country a nuclear-free zone would be no more successful than declaring New Zealand a “terrorist-free zone.” The ominous signs are there that the super-Powers have decided that Europe is too valuable to destroy in any possible future nuclear war, and that perhaps the Pacific is big enough and sparsely populated enough to be the most suitable battleground. Peace groups are also reported as becoming dissatisfied with the Labour Government’s watered-down proposals and that their “nuclear-free” sop is simply political clap-trap. The biggest danger of all is that those who accept nuclear-free zones under present conditions are ceasing to think. — Yours, etc., JOHN BATEMAN, Ahaura. July 14, 1985.