U.S. would ‘regret’ withdrawal

Press, 27 April 1989, Page 6

U.S. would ‘regret’ withdrawal

By

TOM BRIDGMAN

of NZPA Ottawa The United States State Department said yesterday it would regret New Zealand pulling out of the A.N.Z.U.S. Council, a prospect raised by the Prime Minister, Mr Lange. In an official response to the Prime Minister’s speech, a State Department spokesman in Washington said while it was New Zealand’s prerogative to withdraw if it wished, "we would regret such action.” “We take exception to the assertion that such an action is justified by the U.S. refusal to consult with New Zealand as contemplated under the alliance,” he said. The spokesman said it was New Zealand’s decision to bar allied warships from its’ ports which had led the U.S. to suspend its security obligations in the first place. .. - A.N.Z.U.S. would continue to exist as the foundation of the U.S.’s important and active security relationship with Australia, he said. The spokesman said the U.S. continued to hope that New Zealand would reassess its anti-nuclear

position which would allow it to return to “full participation in the Western Alliance.” Australian Associated Press has reported from San Francisco that Bush Administration officials were urgently reviewing all U.S. ties with New Zealand after Mr Lange’s threat to consider pulling out of the formal A.N.Z.U.S. Council of Ministers. But there was no indication of that in the comments, on the record or otherwise, from officials in the State and Defence Departments in Washington contacted yesterday by NZPA and other news organisations. The new Bush Administration has been carrying out a full-scale and con-

tinuing review over the last months of its foreign and strategic policies throughout the world. Policy on New Zealand would be expected to be part of that once officials who deal with the region are permanently in position. Until the Lange speech at least there was no sign the United States was in any way interested in changing, either toughening or softening, its line on New Zealand. “No-one is losing any sleep about fine-tuning the relationship,” said one official recently. And throughout the whole A.N.Z.U.S. split, the United States Administration has been at pains to say it would not impose any economic or trade

sanctions on New Zealand, a point commented on by Mr Lange in his Yale speech. Mr Lange’s proposition came on the eve of the visit by the United States Vice-President, Mr Dan Quayle, to Australia and is sure to be a key topic in his talks with the Australian Prime Minister, Mr Hawke, and other Government Ministers. Equally, the U.S. Secretary of Defence, Mr Dick Cheney, could be expected to raise the issue in his talks with the Deputy Opposition Leader, Mr Don McKinnon, in Washington today. Mr Lange has accused Mr McKinnon of "snuggling” up to the bomb in Washington and “bootlicking” United States officials.