A.N.Z.U.S. row puts Harewood base at risk

Press, 11 January 1986, Page 1

A.N.Z.U.S. row puts Harewood base at risk

By

GEOFF MEIN

The future of the United States Antarctic base at Christchurch could be threatened by New Zealand’s nuclear ships ban.

Hints that the A.N.Z.U.S. row could prompt a review of the base’s future came last evening from the leader of a Congressional party passing through Christchurch on its way to the Antarctic.

Congressman Samuel Stratton, a Democrat from New York, said it was conceivable that the base could be moved from New Zealand.

His party, which includes 11 members of the Armed Services Committee of Congress, will fly to McMurdo Sound today for a three-day visit.

Congressman Stratton said the future of the Christchurch link, which he described as valuable, was likely to be discussed during the visit. It was the first indication

from a high-ranking United States politician that the United States would even consider shifting the base.

United States officials in New Zealand have repeatedly played down any connection between the A.N.Z.U.S. row and the base’s future.

Speculation has been rife for weeks that the base would be moved, perhaps to Hobart, if New Zealand went ahead with its nuclear ships ban. The congressmen had a long meeting in Christchurch yesterday with the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Caygill.

A.N.Z.U.S. and the nuclear ships ban are thought to have dominated the talks, which Mr Caygill described as informal.

Congressman Stratton said after the meeting that it looked as if New Zealand was living in a dream world. “Without the United States there is no defence capability,” he said. The United States viewed the nuclear ships ban as a serious defence concern. He said it would be ridiculous for New Zealand to pull out of the three-nation alliance with the United States and Australia. “That’s the whole ball game,” he said.

“Our purpose is to try to convince the leaders (of the Labour Government) of that.”

Congressman Stratton said proposed legislation aimed at reducing the United States Budget deficit could lead to cuts in its Antarctic programme. The measures proposed include the setting up of an automatic process which will force the deficit to fall from $2OO billion to zero by 1991, a cut of $36 billion a year. President Reagan has given his support to the complex legislation, although he has also reaffirmed his commitment to building up defence and resisting tax increases. Congressman Stratton said it was likely to be a rough year. The prospect of Budget constraints could bring into question the United States’ ability to help a country such as New Zealand with such an unrealistic attitude, he said.