N.Z. most change policy—Dukakis

Press, 20 July 1988, Page 8

N.Z. most change policy—Dukakis

NZPA-Reuter Sydney The United States Presidential hopeful, Michael Dukakis, has said NewZealand will not be readmitted to the A.N.Z.U.S. alliance under his leadership unless it abandons its stance against port calls by United States nuclear warships. Mr Dukakis, in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Monday evening, said he would not change the United States policy of

neither confirming nor denying the presence of nuclear weapons in its naval vessels. The United States, with the support of Australia, in 1986 suspended New Zealand from the A.N.Z.U.S. defence treaty grouping the three nations. Washington was angered by Wellington’s refusal to allow a United States warship into port because the United States would not declare

whether it was carrying nuclear weapons. “We have had a policy of neither confirming nor denying the presence of - nuclear weapons in our ships and I think that happens to be a good policy and one that I will continue,” said Mr Dukakis, who is certain to become the Democratic Party’s Presidential nominee at its convention this week. “On the other hand, I also respect other nations.

If in their (New Zealand’s) view that policy is not consistent with what they want to do, it may well be that they can’t be part of an alliance,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean that we can’t have continuing good relations with them. I am a believer in sitting down and working with people, not in getting mad or angry because they don’t happen to agree with us,” he said.