Posted on 08/11/2003 6:05:26 PM PDT by New Zealander
Pressure on over nuclear ship ban 12 August 2003
The United States wants New Zealand to relax its ban on nuclear-propelled warships, saying US ships need the freedom to use New Zealand ports as part of the "war on terror".
Top-ranking US Government official Grant Aldonas, who is Under-Secretary of Commerce (International Trade), yesterday described the nuclear issue as an "artefact of another age".
"We need to recognise the concerns that motivated our thoughts about the actions in the mid-1980s, which came at a time when we were very much focused on the Cold War," he told an Auckland business lunch.
Although New Zealand's anti-nuclear ban did not appear to have had a "cascading effect" elsewhere, that was no longer the issue, "given that what we now confront is a war on terror, not a cold war".
Former US President George Bush had spelt out that US warships no longer carried nuclear arms.
Mr Aldonas later said the US regarded its Navy as "our forward defence".
"We look at the freedom of the seas and the ability to project power off our shores as being integrally related to a policy of trying to take on terrorism wherever it starts," he said.
"So the idea that there be some limitations on our freedom to protect that power - in defence of what we think are both New Zealand and US interests - is something where you can appreciate the reaction in our defence quarters and in Congress.
"Our ability to go after the bad guys, as it were, really is linked to a lot of what we do with our Navy."
Prime Minister Helen Clark refused to comment directly on Mr Aldonas' statements.
Her spokesman, David Lewis, said the US administration and the New Zealand Government's views on the nuclear issue were well-known.
"We know that the US regards it as unfinished business," Mr Lewis said. "But New Zealand has no plans to change its current policy."
Mr Aldonas made it clear in his speech that there was a strong sensitivity within the US Defence Department and other parts of the administration on the nuclear issue.
"There is also a recognition that in many respects it is an artefact of another age and we both need to be working hard at our relationship.
"The notion that American ships, because of their nuclear propulsion systems, can't stop at the port of a friendly country seems untoward, particularly when we share common values."
No part of the world was safe from terrorism, he said.
"The idea that young Kiwis could be targeted in a place like Bali by terrorists simply because they went there to exercise their freedoms and see a wider world is something that certainly has the same impact on people in Auckland and Wellington as September 11 had for us."
Mr Aldonas also met Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton in Wellington to plan a joint strategy for the World Trade Organisation meeting in Cancun, Mexico.
He praised New Zealand's leadership role in trade liberalisation, but indicated a bilateral free trade deal with the US was not on the Bush administration's negotiating list.
Nuclear ship ban more relevant than ever - Greenpeace 12 August 2003
UPDATED REPORT
Continued pressure on New Zealand by the United States over its ban on nuclear-propelled warships shows the ban is still relevant and important, Greenpeace said today.
Top-ranking US Government official Grant Aldonas, who is Under-Secretary of Commerce (International Trade), yesterday said the nuclear issue was an "artefact of another age" and said the US needed the freedom of our waters to fight terrorism.
He said the ban arose out of cold war concerns that were no longer a focus.
However, Greenpeace spokeswoman Bunny McDiarmid said today the ban was more important than ever.
"New Zealand's ban is more relevant today that it was in 1986 when it came into being."
She said the US had developed more small, "more usable" nuclear weapons.
"It makes the whole issue of nuclear arms even more dangerous today than it was in 1986 despite the cold war having gone away."
Mr Aldonas said New Zealand's anti-nuclear ban did not appear to have had a "cascading effect" elsewhere, but said that was no longer the issue, "given that what we now confront is a war on terror, not a cold war".
Ms McDiarmid said there was more to the issue than simply a ban on nuclear powered or armed ships.
"It's also a statement about New Zealand sees the whole issue of disarmament... To the United States that's a real challenge. I think they are worried that other countries would also see that as a relevant and serious commitment to disarmament and that's why the keep challenging it.
"If they really think it's had no effect why do they continue to keep challenging it?"
Ms McDiarmid said the argument that US ships needed free access to New Zealand waters to fight terrorism did not stand up.
"To say that they want to come into our harbours with their nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed ships because they are interested in extending their fight on terrorism I think is patently ridiculous.
Prime Minister Helen Clark's spokesman, David Lewis, yesterday said the US administration and the New Zealand Government's views on the nuclear issue were well-known.
"We know that the US regards it as unfinished business but New Zealand has no plans to change its current policy."
Mr Aldonas met Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton in Wellington recently to plan a joint strategy for the World Trade Organisation meeting in Cancun, Mexico.
A potential free trade deal with the US has in the past been used as a reason to get rid of the ban, but Ms McDiarmid said it was not justified.
"Nuclear weapons and nuclear power have not become safe overnight because we want a free trade deal... there's no guarantee we'd even get a trade deal with the US anyway."
I just wonder what the point is of wanting to make ports of call in New Zealand. It's pretty much out of the way of anything, except maybe attacking Antarctica, but I heard that the gray aliens that had their secret bases down there with the Nazi remnants have long since left the continent.
I believe destroyers, frigates and cruisers no longer carry nukes.
er - yeah. My error. :)
Please keep buying New Zealand agricutural products - especally farmed livestock. The current anti-nuclear govenment (which was resposable for imposing the ban over a decade ago) has recently imposed a 'fart tax'.
This unpopular idea penalises farmers for their important part in our economy, while offering them no practical solution to reducing so-called greenhouse gas emissions. You'll find that they'll be voting for parties that support a repeal of the anti-nuclear stance at the next election. New Zealand farmers are your allies.
Is she an admirer of Chrétien's? She seems willing to follow the Canadian example of destroying her country's military. Shame.
The original headline is bollocks isn't it? How do you exert pressure by talking in a moderate way at a business lunch?
,,, whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop - election issue!!!!
Algore is a big subscriber to that. He tried to get support for his fart tax while he was still VP. The media changed "cow flatulence" to "cow burps" so as not to shock the sensitive sensitivities of the lefties. I sympathize.
On the other hand, looks as though one of Algor's OTHER pet projects, the fat tax (tax on meat, sugar, dairy, junk food, etc) will soon become reality here. Soon we won't be able to buy NZ farm products. Or American farm products for that matter.
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