‘Guest only’ status at summit

Press, 19 May 1989, Page 4

‘Guest only’ status at summit

By

BRENDON BURNS

in Wellington

New Zealand is to be represented at the next summit conference of non-aligned countries. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Marshall, was firm yesterday that attendance would be as a guest only and that it did not indicate a move by the Government towards neutrality. He said other countries which are expected to attend the conference, to be held in Yugoslavia during September, include Australia, Canada and Spain.

Mr Marshall said like many other countries with guest status, New Zealand is a member of the Western community and intends to remain so. The Government has often been accused by the Opposition of steering towards non-alignment, and neutrality.

The claim most recently surfaced with the Prime Minister’s suggestion that New Zealand formally withdraw from the A.N.Z.U.S. alliance structure.

Mr Marshall denied any suggestion that guest status at the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries summit meant a move away from the Western alliance structure. He said attendance as a guest at the Belgrade meeting would be useful in increasing the Government’s understanding of the concerns of nonaligned countries, such as apartheid and disarmament.