P.M.’s arms speech defended

Press, 2 June 1986, Page 2

P.M.’s arms speech defended

PA - Auckland The Labour Party president, Ms Margaret Wilson, does not believe the Prime • Minister, Mr Lange, back-tracked on New Zealand’s antinuclear policy in his Cologne speech.

A wave of criticism has followed Mr Lange’s speech to the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. _

It began with the New Zealand delegate to the conference, Dr Erich Geiringer, saying that Mr Lange was “trying to dance ... at two different weddings.” A campaign for Nuclear Disarmament spokeswoman, Ms Mairet Leadbeater, said she was greatly disappointed with the speech. The Opposition foreing affairs spokesman, Sir Robert Muldoon, called it “a complete back down."

His critics noted in contrast between his European speech and what he told the Auckland conference of the Labour Party three weeks ago.

He told the Labour Party delegates: “It is, for instance, outrageous to us that the defence of Western Europe is based on N.A.T.O.’s promise to blow up the world if the Russians attack them with ovewhelming conventional force. They have no right to decide the fate of all the rest of us.”

But in Germany he appeared to justify reliance on nuclear strategies, when he said: “Responsible governments throughout the world have decided that the security of those they represent is best served by engagement in a nuclear strategy for their own defence.” Ms Wilson said: “It wasn’t back-tracking. It was an extremely good speech to the doctors placing the whole question of disarmament and anti-nuclear policy in a realist proposition. “They may have expected rhetoric. That’s easy. David gave them a realistic speech.”

The Government had always stated its antinuclear policy was not for export, she said. “It would be wrong to go stumbling around the world exhorting others to follow our example. I believe some of the reaction may have come because a lot of people don’t realise this is a political question which needs a political solution. “The doctors may find

it difficult to accept that. They’ve done a good job pointing out the implications of a nuclear build-up but they’ve not done a lot to find solutions to it."