Nuclear stance

Press, 24 July 1987, Page 16

Nuclear stance

Sir,—Sir Ewan Jamieson wants us to trust the United States not to bring nuclear weapons here (July 21). Unfortunately, impeccable United States sources show such trust is misplaced, for instance, in “nuclear-free” Japan. A former United States Ambassador to Japan, Odin Reischauer, indicated that since the 1960 s nuclear-armed ships visited Japanese ports without the Japanese public’s knowledge, according to your international affairs specialist, Stuart McMillan (October 27, 1984). Declassified American military documents publicised by an Australian researcher, Peter Hayes, in December, 1985, reveal that nuclear weapons were stored in Iwakuni, Japan, at least until 1966 without telling the Japanese Government. Sir Ewan’s simplistic perspective also ignores what Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, and Finland can teach us. They prove that Western-style democracies can, as neutrals, relate well to the United States and others, making valued and essential contributions to nuclear-age peace and stability. As yet, the Pacific has no such neutral.— Yours, etc., J. GALLAGHER. July 21, 1987. Sir,—ln hopes of keeping in tow with the United States Government, and thereby keeping within A.N.Z.U.S., Sir Ewan Jamieson echoes Mr Bolger in claiming that “taking one’s allies on trust not to bring nuclear weapons to New Zealand would allow both views to be satisfied” (July 21). Can they not see that if such trust were genuinely believable world-wide, it would breach the “neither confirm nor deny” principle on which the United States insists? Spokesmen have repeatedly explained that if vessels entering our ports were pin-pointed as non-nuclear, those not entering would be pinpointed as nuclear armed. The “trust” formula as applied in Japan and elsewhere is satisfactory to the United States precisely because it is known to be breached.—Yours, etc., ELSIE LOCKE. July 22, 1987. Sir,—Having made a study of Mr Lange’s nuclear policy, I wonder if the same principles could be applied to other areas. For example, New Zealand’s roads are dangerous. New Zealand drivers could hang “acci-dent-free” signs in their rear windows. This would prove beyond all doubt that we are against accidents. SUch a sign would give one immunity from accidents or their side-effects. The driver, smug in his security, could cancel. his car insurance and save heaps. It is so simple. — Yours, etc., A. J. ROLSTON. Ashburton, July 22, 1987.