Anzac ties key element

Press, 9 October 1987, Page 23

Anzac ties key element

PA Wellington The relationship with Australia was now the key element in New Zealand's defence, briefing papers show. The papers, prepared for the incoming Minister of Defence, Mr Tizard, incorporated and extended ideas expressed in the White Paper on Defence, released in February. The New Zealand-Aus-tralia defence relationship went well beyond historical Anzac associations, and reflected overlapping strategic interests in South-East Asia and the South Pacific, the papers said. Growing links under the closer economic relations agreement were being developed' into a shared understanding that the two countries needed to build, a defence industrial Both the Australian Minister of Defence, Mr Kim Beazley, and former New Zealand Minister, Mr O’Flynn, had agreed that Australia could not act as a surrogate for the United States after the A.N.Z.U.S. rupture. However, since the United States ended joint military exercises and excluded New Zealanders from most training and

exercise postings, extra demands had been put on the Australian defence establishment Australia had stepped up its contact with New Zealand, and was now this country's main source of overseas training and exercise opportunities, the papers said. The machinery for defence co-operation included meetings of Defence Ministers, meetings between the secretary of defence and chief of defence staff of each country, the A.N.Z. defence policy group (comprising senior military officers and defence officals) and a defence supply working group, which identified ways of co-operating in defence production and supply. Since April, 1985, Australian and New Zealand defence exercise planners held regular meetings, and in the last financial year varying numbers of New Zealanders took part in 36 exercises in. Australia. For its part, New Zealand hosted a number of bilateral exercises, the papers said. "Australia’s ready willingness to offer, where possible, bilateral exer : cises to replace trilateral exercises where United

States participation now prevents New Zealand involvement, has been warmly welcomed,** the papers said. Australian Ministers, however, emphasised that Australia’s ability to increase exercises with New Zealand forces was limited by its resources. They also reiterated that Australia’s exercises with the United States had first priority when deciding where money and resources should be allocated. ' A.N.Z.U.S. was fundamental to Australia as an index of its involvement in wider world affairs, to ensure It access to new technology, and as a mark of a close relationship with the United States. New Zealand's cooperation with Australia also Included a decision to collaborate on the purchase of new surface combatant vessels, an agreement to work .together on communications and electronics, and closer co-operation between the respective defence scientific establishments. : Co-ordination of wdirk in the South Pacific included maritime surveillance patrols, ship visits and disaster relief...."