Britain silent on visits

Press, 31 January 1986, Page 6

Britain silent on visits

NZPA staff correspondent

British defence spokesmen would not say yesterday whether the Royal Navy would challenge Wellington’s anti-nuclear stance by asking for a port call. Detailed plans were being made for a sevenship visit to the “Australasian” area as part of an eight-month deployment from April. It seemed likely the British Government would avoid a potentially embarrassing row by formally asking New Zealand for a

port call.

But the anti-nuclear Coalition Against Nuclear Warships predicted in New Zealand on Wednesday, that the British would challenge the Government’s policy by requesting a port visit for a warship later this year.

The coalition said most of the seven ships were nuclear capable and could be presumed to be nuclear-armed if they were away from home for eight months. A British Ministry of Defence spokesman said the British Government

was disappointed with New Zealand’s antinuclear stance and it hoped the policy would change. Until the programme for the deployment — called Global ’B6 — was “thrashed out,” no details were available about port calls, he said. The British Press Association said in an unattributed report last month that the Royal Navy would not visit New Zealand. No approach had been made to the New Zealand Government for a visit.

It also said the carrier Illustrious, which would head the deployment, had Sea King helicopters capable carrying nuclear depth bombs.

The task force is due to sail from Britain on April 14 for the North Pacific, Far East, Australian, New Zealand, and Indian Ocean areas.

Apart from the Illustrious, the ships are the destroyer Manchester and frigates Beaver and Amazon, supported by supply ships, the Fort Grange, Olmeda and Bayleaf.