Policy export talk incurs U.S. wrath

Press, 24 September 1987, Page 2

Policy export talk incurs U.S. wrath

by

TOM BRIDGMAN,

NZPA correspondent NZPA Washington The Prime Minister, Mr Lange, has come under fire in the United States Congress for apparently indicating New Zealand would export its policy of barring United States nuclear ships. “He has put himself in clear opposition to American security interests around the world by proclaiming his determination to convince other countries to adopt this policy,” said a Democrat, Mr Stephen Soiarz, chairman of a Congressional foreign affairs panel. Mr Soiarz was speaking at a sub-committee hearing on a bill before congress to officially strip New Zealand of ally status because of its antinuclear law which had effectively brought about the operational end of the A.N.Z.U.S. military alliance. But Reagan Administration officials and the legislators were split over exactly what Mr Lange had meant in a pre-election speech in Wellington last month which was the cause of the conflict.

In a hard-hitting foreign policy address on August 6 Mr Lange had said New Zealand was better off out of A.N.Z.U.S.

Mr Karl Jackson, deputy assistant Secretary of Defence for east Asia and the Pacific, said Mr Lange had also made known “his intention to promote New Zealand’s anti-nuclear policy” in overseas forums. Mr Soiarz, who regarded New Zealand’s anti-nucleai; law as “entirely counterproductive,” said Mr Lange had “committed himself to actively proselytise other countries to adopt New Zealand’s policies.” However, Mr Stapleton Roy, the State Department’s deputy assistant secretary for east Asian and Pacific affairs, said that was not the way he had taken the speech.

“New Zealand takes an anti-nuclear position and its representatives in disarmament forums have advanced a view on disarmament and on arms control questions which creates difficulties for us because of the way they have defined deterrence.” he said. “But I make a distinction between an antinuclear policy in general and the feeling that other Governments should adopt legislation similar to New Zealand’s. They are not exporting to the best of my knowledge that particular policy.”