Tonga not worried about nuclear contamination

Press, 24 April 1986, Page 5

Tonga not worried about nuclear contamination

Tonga is not concerned about possible contamination from French nuclear tests at Mururoa Atoll, according to Tonga’s Crown Prince Tupouto’a. He was speaking during a brief visit to the St Helena Wine Estate at Coutts Island as part of his visit to Christchurch yesterday afternoon. The prince is touring New Zealand for 11 days at the invitation of the New Zealand Government. “We should remember ihat France is a country that has been occupied twice this century and needed to rely on the help

of allies each time,” said Prince Tupouto’a. “The French are determined that they will not be occupied a third time and they have made a choice to conduct nuclear tests.” Tonga welcomed American nuclearpowered or nucleararmed ships in its ports, Prince Tupouto’a said. The ship visits were a formal expression of cordial relations. New Zealand’s nuclear stance would not affect the close defence links between New Zealand and Tonga, he said. Prince Tupouto’a is

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence for Tonga and heir to the Tongan throne. During his visit to Wellington yesterday he met senior Foreign Affairs and Defence officials and was guest at a Ministerial luncheon with the Prime Minister, Mr Lange. Today Prince Tupouto’a will travel to Queenstown where he will lay a wreath to mark Anzac Day and take a jet boat trip. After visiting Te Anau, Wanganui and Auckland, he is due to return to Tonga on April 29.