U.S. Embassy replies to Lange comments

Press, 3 July 1986, Page 12

U.S. Embassy replies to Lange comments

PA Wellington The United States Embassy has taken issue with statements made by the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, after his talks with the American Secretary of State, Mr George Shultz, last week. Television New Zealand’s “Eye witness News” reported that the Wellington embassy had issued a statement containing a number of questions and answers relating to the Manila talks. However, an embassy spokesman, Mr Mike Gould, told NZPA that a number of points had been raised, rather than a statement issued.

The American points centred on comments by Mr Lange about his meeting last Friday in Manila with Mr Shultz, in which he gave details of his talks with Mr Shultz.

Mr Lange told reporters that New Zealand offered to keep secret the refusal of any future United States warship visit, but Mr Shultz rejected the offer arid justified the rejection in part by saying the American system “leaked like a sieve." The embassy points emphasised that the United States did not consider it appropriate to; discuss in public the details of private diplomatic conversations. • . •

The main point related to Mr Lange’s claim that the United States -had modified its policy within a strict military alliance in other places. Mr Lange said he had put the example of Denmark to Mr Shultz. The embassy said no other > government made judgments regarding a ship’s possible nuclear armament.