French upset

Press, 30 April 1988, Page 8

French upset

)! J » New Zealand’s a ready strained diplomatic relations with France have become even more tense because of criticism by the Prime' Minister, Mr Lange, of the French Government’s handling (of the crisis in N)ew (jZaledonia. j The French Foreign’ Ministry this week] sum-j moned New I Zealand’s ambassador to ! Paris, Ms Judith Trotter, to protest about his! reported re-: marks. | ■ ■ The Ministry main-} tained that Mr Lange’s comments! constitu ed an interference in thd inter-

nal qffairs of another country. .But Mr Lange denied there had been! a diplomatic row over his comments that the French Government’s handling of the New Caledonian situation had lacked! flair. “The Ambassador had a transcript and so was able to point out that what I was'alleged to have said I did hot say. “Sq there was not a row at all, but there was a meeting and in fact,an explanation tendered, and there) the matter rests.”

Mr Lange said the! tall for the New Zealand Ambassador , to explain his remarks had been) a replay of the French Foreign Ministry’s earlier call for the Australian Ambassador to-J Paris) to explain : remarks about New Caledonia by.) (the Australian Prime Minister, Mr Hawke. ' ( ) i Mr Lange qad ibeen inept in commenting) on French ! policy) towards New Caledonia during! the French election! said ) the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Bolger, yesterday.)