Freeze on Skyhawk gear ‘not A.N.Z.U.S. fault’

Press, 7 August 1985, Page 8

Freeze on Skyhawk gear ‘not A.N.Z.U.S. fault’

PA Wellington The Minister of Defence, Mr O’Flynn, has denied that the export of high technology equipment for R.N.Z.A.F. Skyhawks has been frozen by the United States Government because of the A.N.Z.U.S. stand-off. He told NZPA last evening that the American firm to which the contract had been awarded had informed the New Zealand Government that part of the technology had been withdrawn by the State Department pending consideration of the whole package by Congress. Mr O’Flynn said it had not been realised by the Americans when the export licence was granted initially that the value of the $l4O million 10-year package required Congressional approval. Mr O’Flynn said the referral to Congress had nothing to do with New Zealand’s nuclear ship ban. “I am not an expert on American arms law. If I understand the position correctly they have got limitations on the arms deals that can be carried out without

Congress approval ... “I don’t think this issue has anything to do with A.N.Z.U.S. “They have got regulations about the value of this kind of technology that can be exported without the approval of Congress,” Mr O’Flynn said. Mr O’Flynn also commented on the decision to use commercial berth facilities at Honolulu for H.M.N.Z.S. Canterbury - instead of the American Pearl Harbour Naval Base. He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not been consulted before the decision was made. Asked at what level the

decision had been made Mr O’Flynn replied, “At the appropriate operational level in the Navy.” Mr O’Flynn replied “no” when he was asked whether the decision not to request Pearl Harbour berthing facilities was an admission that the A.N.Z.U.S. alliance was no longer functional. Asked what tangible evidence there was that the alliance was still functioning he replied, “No partner has formally withdrawn from the treaty so its framework remains in existence and the obligations actually provided by the text remain binding at international law.”