U.S. ship visits

Press, 5 August 1985, Page 12

U.S. ship visits

Sir,—The National Party’s conference voted to resume American warship visits. As most New Zealanders do not want this, the National Party seems to be out of touch with the electorate. The antiship visit policy has clearly demonstrated our abhorrence of nuclear weapons and our desire for a nuclear weapons-free Pacific. It would be a serious mistake to realign ourselves with American military policy when the present American Administration seems determined to escalate the arms race and unwilling to strive for real progress towards an effective disarmament pact with the Russians. Last week both Congress and Senate cleared the way for massive expenditure on nerve gases (after a 16-year moratorium), MX missiles, anti-satellite weapons and the “star wars” programme. No doubt the Russians will respond in similar fashion. Arms control, not new arms, is the best solution to the nuclear predicament. So say several originators of the atomic bomb (“The Press,” July 31). — Yours, etc., COLIN BURROWS. July 31, 1985.