New military bans ‘not expected’

Press, 2 July 1986, Page 8

New military bans ‘not expected’

By

CHRIS PETERS,

NZPA staff correspondent Adelaide The Prime Minister, Mr Lange, said yesterday he does not expect any new military bans on New Zealand to arise from the defence arrangements between Australia and the United States to be formalised in San Francisco next month. While the United States had blocked intelligence reports to New Zealand, It still passed on intelligence with a direct bearing on New Zealand’s own strategic position, Mr Lange said. Australia would be under no extra pressure as a result of the fall-out between its two A.N.Z.U.S. partners, he said in an interview. Asked whether he expected any new bans on military ties between the United States and New Zealand to result from the San Francisco meeting, Mr Lange said he ex-

pected the present ban on military exercises and intelligence to be formalised. “I imagine it will entrench the positions,” he said. "There is not much else new that is proposed that I am aware of.” In confirming the continued flow of limited intelligence information, Mr Lange said this was under measures announced by the Americans in Los Angeles on February 26 last year. He said the measures would continue to apply. Asked whether there might be new intelligence' bans, he said, “There may be, but that will not be of overwhelming significance because there is not much (else) in it.” As far as Australia was concerned, Mr Lange said the defence relationship would not change. “In fact, there is a certain sense of new reality to the relationship,” he said.