Singapore troops out by 1989

Press, 24 December 1986, Page 1

Singapore troops out by 1989

By

MARTIN FREETH

in Wellington The New Zealand military force in Singapore will be withdrawn by the end of 1989 under the Government’s reshaping of defence policy to concentrate on New Zealand and the South Pacific.

Announcing the move yesterday, the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, said Singapore had agreed, and New Zealand would remain an active member of the Five-Power Defence Arrangement, involving also Britain, Australia, and Malaysia.

New Zealand would probably retain a small military post in Singapore, he said.

Mr Lange gave an assurance that withdrawal

would not mean a reduction in the Army’s size and the 740-strong force would probably be relocated at an enlarged Linton camp, near Palmerston North.

The plan to bring home the infantry battalion and helicopter and other support units would form a key part of the Government’s reviewed defence policy, due for release in February. Withdrawal of the Singapore force,' there since 1959, was proposed in the two previous Defence Reviews, 1978 and 1983.

Time had “mellowed” the critical nature of the base in New Zealand’s relations with South-East Asia, and the other partners in the Five-Power arrangement understood the withdrawal decision, Mr Lange said. The New Zealand presence had given time for defence ties between countries in the region to “mature,” he said.

In the last decade, its economic and political stability had progressed remarkably and countries there had developed defence forces of a high proficiency, Mr Lange said.

While the withdrawal would not lessen this country’s interest in stability in South-East Asia, the Government had decided that "the defence of New Zealand will concentrate on the defence of New Zealand and the South Pacific.”

Mr Lange said that cutting defence expenditure was also a motive, with relocation of the force estimated to save at least $3O million a year.

Mr Lange said that the decision had been made about a month ago but the Government delayed its announcement until the United States and other countries could be told. It had been discussed with the Australian Foreign Minister, Mr Hayden, during his visit to

Wellington earlier this month.

Mr Lange said that Mr Hayden had understood the move. The New Zealand withdrawal would have no impact on the Australian air base at Butterworth, in Malaysia, because it had never been linked to this country’s Army presence. “It is more strategically rational for them (the Australians) to stay there

... than it is for New Zealand, because they are a lot closer.”

Mr Lange said he had told the United States Ambassador, Mr Paul Cleveland, of the withdrawal and he predicted that Washington would give a “muted, no-comment type of response.” The United States is not a member of the FivePower arrangement under which the Singapore force has worked.

Mr Lange said the Government had carefully considered the prospect of withdrawal being seen as

another move away from the Western Alliance system, akin to the ban on nuclear-powered warships in New Zealand ports. “We have prepared the ground very carefully. We have been in consultation with our friends in the Pacific and Australia.” Mr Lange said he had discussed the withdrawal with the Singaporean Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, when the latter was here in April.

While Mr Lee had not asked for the withdrawal, he had agreed to it over the time now announced by the Government. “What they have said is that the presence of the battalion gave them the breathing space to develop a defence structure in and around their region which is now adequate for their circumstances.”

Mr Lange said that after 1989 the post was likely to be “an administrative headquarters able to handle exercise and training units within that area.”