Reagan, Hawke Reaffirm Ties of ANZUS Pact

President Reagan and Australian Prime Minister Robert Hawke today reaffirmed their commitment to the ANZUS treaty binding their two nations and New Zealand despite Australia’s refusal to help the United States monitor MX missile tests.

“The ANZUS treaty remains,” Hawke said after a meeting with Reagan and a luncheon with the President and other Administration officials. “The fundamental importance of our cooperation within it has been reaffirmed today.”

Reagan, questioned by reporters as the meeting opened, pronounced the alliance “very sound and very solid.”

Emerging after the luncheon, Reagan reiterated the Administration’s concern over New Zealand’s decision to close its ports to a U.S. destroyer because of apprehension about having nuclear-equipped vessels in its waters.

‘New Zealand a Friend’

“We deeply regret the decision by the New Zealand government to deny port access to our ships,” Reagan said. “We consider New Zealand a friend. It is our deepest hope that New Zealand will restore the traditional cooperation that has existed between our two countries.”

But “other than that,” he said, “I think our alliance is very sound and very solid.”

Reagan said he is not concerned about Australia’s position on the MX missile tests, which led the United States to announce Wednesday that it will proceed with the tests without Australian help.

“That was pretty much our own idea,” he said. “We had several alternatives and we made our choice.”