http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/07/23/1027332377280.html
Contrary Kiwis snub big friends and
neighbours
By Louise William,
Sydney Morning
Herald, July 24 2002
New Zealand
says it will not join a United States-led assault on Iraq,
declaring the days of Wellington
"being an echo of Washington
or London" are over.
The move appears to further isolate Australia
over its support for a pre-emptive strike on Iraq.
New Zealand's
stance, which echoes serious concerns in Europe over Washington's
intention to extend the war on terrorism, highlights a growing divergence
between the two neighbours who forged the Anzac tradition at Gallipoli.
While the Howard Government is lining up with the Bush
Administration, New Zealand's
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Phil Goff said: "We acknowledge
the reality of the balance of power in the world. But the days when New
Zealand was an echo of London
and Washington are over.
"We make decisions independently. We do not believe
being a country of only four million people deprives us of that right."
On Iraq,
Mr Goff was adamant New Zealand
would not follow Canberra in
pledging support for the US
President, George Bush.
"New Zealand
would not send forces into Iraq
unless there was clear evidence of links between the regime and terrorism.
Despite the best intelligence work, no link has been drawn.
"This is not to suggest we have a high regard for
Saddam Hussein - we absolutely do not. However, we think there is a range of
different responses. United Nations arms inspectors need to be readmitted,
there needs to be targeted sanctions against Iraq,"
he said, referring to humanitarian concerns that broad sanctions are hurting
Iraqi civilians.
New Zealand
is drawing a clear distinction between the war in Afghanistan,
for which its special forces troops were deployed
alongside other allied troops, and further pre-emptive US
military strikes.
While the Australian and New
Zealand military remain committed to coming
to each other's aid, New Zealand
recently moth-balled the combat wing of its airforce.
It is also fiercely proud of its anti-nuclear policy, which prevents visits
from US warships and has excluded New Zealand
from the ANZUS security arrangement with the US
since the mid-1980s. Australia,
on the other hand, has pursued closer military ties with the US.
Australian diplomats have privately belittled New
Zealand as a "rebellious younger sibling",
only able to stand on lofty principles and ideals because Australia,
is taking responsibility in the real world.
One New Zealand
defence source said: "Mostly what I find in Canberra
is a flat statement is we don't pull our weight, which - in military terms - we
do not.
"There is a bit of truth in the claim we think we are
so far away from the rest of the world we can be a bit extreme, and it
irritates the hell out of Canberra.
But this is not a wayward government, the government
reflects what the populace thinks."
However, Australian military strategists point out that
despite the countries' common history, New
Zealand's geography starkly alters its
defence priorities.
"New Zealand,
simply, is not next to Indonesia,"
one said.
Mr Goff contests claims that New
Zealand does not play its part, pointing to
its quick support for the Australian military in East Timor,
its plans to upgrade training and equipment for its army, and its decision to
take more than 100 asylum seekers during the Tampa
stand-off.
"I am sure there may be people within the establishment
in Australia
who would like us to give up [our] anti-nuke policy and increase military
spending. But ... we make our policies in light of the values we hold as a good
international citizen," he said.
Much of the passion in New
Zealand for disarmament, independence and
international rule of law goes back to the anti-nuclear campaign of the mid
1980s and outrage over the 1985 attempted sinking of the Greenpeace ship
Rainbow Warrior in Auckland Harbour
by French intelligence agents.
Mr Goff said New Zealand
had a good, co-operative relationship with both Australia
and the US, in
which differences of opinion were respected.
However, this has not always been the case. New
Zealand's Prime Minister, Helen Clark,
recently made dismissive comments on national television about Australia's
refusal, along with the US,
to sign the Kyoto protocol on
global warming.
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