New Zealand ‘Can’t Have It Both Ways,’ U.S. Official Says

A U.S. official declared Friday that New Zealand has effectively “curtailed its operational role in ANZUS” by banning U.S. nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed warships from its ports.

“A military alliance has little meaning without military cooperation,” said Paul D. Wolfowitz, assistant secretary of state. “New Zealand can’t have it both ways.”

In addition, Wolfowitz said the decision by New Zealand Prime Minister David Lange to impose the ban may have been intended to reduce the risk of nuclear war but will have the opposite effect.

In remarks prepared for delivery to the National Defense University in Honolulu, Wolfowitz said ANZUS (Australia-New Zealand-United States) was part of a series of alliances that have helped to keep peace for four decades.

“Our regional alliances are important in preventing small conflicts from even starting, and since it is from small wars that the greatest danger of big ones arises, these alliances are important for preserving the nuclear peace,” he said.

“Ironically, the effect of New Zealand’s action, small though it may be, is exactly the opposite to its announced purpose of reducing the risk of nuclear war.”

In New Zealand, meanwhile, anti-nuclear activists said Friday that they will send a fleet of boats to the target area for an American MX missile test, hoping the United States will scrap it rather than endanger the boats’ passengers.

“We are sure the United States would not endanger the lives of people in international waters by going ahead with the tests,” said Marie Leadbetter, a spokeswoman for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.