The World - News from Feb. 27, 1987

New Zealand unveiled a defense policy that it said focuses for the first time on its own needs rather than those of other nations. A government “white paper” presented in Parliament stressed self-reliance, close cooperation with Australia and the defense of small South Pacific states as the future role for the military. Prime Minister David Lange told reporters that New Zealand has catered to other countries’ interests for too long. The paper said New Zealand will continue to observe its obligations under the ANZUS treaty linking it with Australia and the United States, even though Washington has suspended cooperation with Wellington because of its ban on port calls by nuclear-armed ships.