Aust, pact link questioned

Press, 19 December 1986, Page 9

Aust, pact link questioned

By

BRUCE JONES

AAP correspondent Canberra Australia’s membership of the A.N.Z.U.S. defence pact is inconsistent with the South Pacific NuclearFree Zone Treaty, according to the Soviet Union, which signed the treaty on Monday. The charge d’affaires of the Soviet Embassy in Canberra, Mr Valari Zemskov, told a news conference that transit of nuclear weapons through the zone and visits by nuclear-armed ships contradicted the aims of the treaty. This interpretation is at odds with clearly stated provisions in the treaty recognising the sovereign right of each party to decide for itself whether to allow foreign ship or aircraft visits, and recognising the freedom of the seas.

However, Mr Zemskov claimed that in order to honour the treaty Aus-

tralia would have to withdraw from A.N.Z.U.S., under which the Hawke Government — unlike the Lange Government in New Zealand — believes it has an obligation to allow visits by nucleararmed American warships. “That is how we see the true character of any nuclear-free zone,” Mr Zemskov said. “If you want it to be the most effective instrument of peace and security in that particular field, of course it is necessary for all parties to prevent any nuclear transit through the zone’s airspace or territorial waters.” Mr Zemskov denied the Soviet Union’s qualified signing of the treaty was a political or strategic ploy aimed at further destabilising A.N.Z.U.S. by supporting New Zealand’s position and attempting to embarrass the Australian and United States Governments.