Navy defends sending frigates to Far East

Press, 5 April 1989, Page 8

Navy defends sending frigates to Far East

PA Wellington The Navy has defended its decision to send its two working frigates to the Far East, saying that in times of low threat it makes good sense to pursue wider national objectives.

The member of Parliament for Pencarrow and chairman of Parliament’s Defence and Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Ms Sonja Davies, has said the deployment is “frankly ridiculous.” A spokesman for the research group, Just Defence, Mr Kevin Hackwell, has said it is a duty-free shopping holiday at the taxpayers’ expense which will leave the Exclusive Economic Zone unprotected. A Navy spokesman, Lieutenant Lawrence Tye, said the Navy did not send ships overseas without good reason.

He said the basis for all deployments was training, taking part in inter-

national exercises, demonstrating a New Zealand presence in our area of strategic interest, adding to the knowledge of ports and sailing conditions in other countries, and advancing New Zealand’s foreign policy objectives in co-operation with the Ministry of External Relations and Trade.

A fleet plan “which best meets the nation’s objectives” was produced a year ahead and was approved by the Chief of Defence Staff, who would tell the Minister of Defence of any “unusual aspects.” Lieutenant Tye said the two frigates Waikato and Wellington and the tanker Endeavour would be away for 3 l / 2 months and for much of the period would be in New Zealand’s area of concern in the southwest Pacific.

For the 30 days they were in Japan and South Korea, they would be no

more than nine days away from that area, or seven days in the case of Singapore and Hong Kong, and this could be reduced considerably if circumstances warranted.

The survey ship Monowai, the research ship Tui, and patrol craft could deal with any nonmilitary contingencies, given the short time that the two frigates would be away, he said. The other two frigates Canterbury and Southland are being refitted in Auckland.

Fifty-five per cent of total frigate effort would be in the south-west Pacific in this year with only 6.5 per cent outside New Zealand’s area of strategic interest.

Lieutenant Tye said the Navy would prefer that a third frigate was available in New Zealand, but “because of factors beyond the control of the Navy,” two ships were being refitted.