Warrior row: fresh hope of settlement

Press, 2 June 1986, Page 1

Warrior row: fresh hope of settlement

By

PETER O’HARA

The Hague

The Prime Minister, Mr Lange, has some hopes that a Dutch initiative can settle the Rainbow Warrior row with France, which European leaders are telling him must be resolved.

Mr Lange said the proposal for a third party to rule on the dispute “carries the seeds of credibility” and was different from earlier suggestions of mediation in the argument over the sinking of the Greenpeace ship at Auckland last year.

Mr Lange had heard concern from both the

Dutch and Belgian Prime Ministers at the start of his two-week European tour about the cool relations between Wellington and Paris.

He told reporters at The Hague that New Zealand had to be responsible in dealing with European Governments who saw harm in the stand-off between France and New Zealand.

“We have to be consistent with what is our law” but "we can’t assume the role of self-appointed martyr even though we didn’t buy into the argument in the first place,” he said.

The Dutch Prime Minister, Mr Lubbers, has talked separately to Mr Lange and his French counterpart, Mr Jacques Chirac. He saw Mr Chirac at the recent Tokyo summit conference, and has spoken to him since. Mr Lange said the Dutch and French leaders talked again yesterday after he left Mr Lubbers. “Mr Lubbers has concluded that notwithstanding differences in their respective points of view there was a common will to find a solution to the problems arising from the events of July 10, 1985,” Mr Lange said.

"He has appealed to both countries to refer the matter to a third party for a ruling. He is ready if it be the wish of the two parties to assist in finding such a person.” Mr Lange revealed the move just before he left The Hague en route to Bonn via Amsterdam for the next stage of his European trip.

He will take the issue to the Cabinet once he returns to New Zealand and await a response from the French Government.

Explaining what was different about the Dutch move, Mr Lange said: “What we have now is a call from an eminent European to try to get the matter put to rest. That is the issue I will now take up. It carries with it the seeds of credibility. The Prime Minister of The Netherlands doesn’t fly kites.”

Some reservations about the Dutch efforts

are evident among New Zealand officials, who note the vested interest of The Netherlands and their early condemnation of the bombing. The Dutch role is partly explained by the fact that it was one of their nationals, a photographer, who was killed when the boat was blown up. The deputy Prime Minister, Mr Palmer, talked to the Dutch Government about the efforts to win reparations from the French when he called at The Hague last year. Mr Lange said the terms of reference would have to be determined if the initiative went ahead and he did not propose to settle them “in the middle of a very demanding European round”. Asked if the third person would decide the future of the two French agents in prison in New Zealand, Mr Lange said: “There could well be a role relating to any of the issues at stake between us. But that is what must be perfected.”