PM makes peace with Americans

By FRAN O'SULLIVAN assistant editor

Prime Minister Helen Clark has apologised to the Bush Administration over her public comments on the Iraq war.

She revealed last night that she had given Washington Ambassador John Wood clear directions to give her apology "wherever he felt he had to convey it".

"That has been conveyed," she added.

A diplomatic row blew up over the Prime Minister's comments to three news outlets last week suggesting the war might not have happened had Al Gore won the US presidency instead of George W. Bush.

On Monday, she had dug herself even deeper into a hole by saying the war did not appear to be going to plan, earning herself a sharp rebuke from the US Embassy.

Her comments were "regrettable", said spokesman Bill Millman.

By Thursday, communications between Wellington and Washington were running hot as diplomats tried to stem the growing rift between the countries.

"I can't do more than say 'look, I intended no offence and I apologise for the offence which it obviously has created'," Helen Clark told the Weekend Herald last night.

"It's caused me great distress because I am endeavouring to ensure this relationship stays strong despite this difference of opinion over the war.

"It was the last thing on my mind to create some sort of offence over who was the President and who wasn't."

But Clark remains adamant that the US Embassy in Wellington was out of line in issuing its public rebuke without first having sought clarification of the context in which her remarks were made and advising the Government of its intentions.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the US Embassy have now agreed on a communications protocol.

Helen Clark's political opponents accused her of being anti-American, of further jeopardising a free-trade deal and of making inappropriate comments about Mr Bush's unsuccessful rival.

The Prime Minister's comments had embarrassed New Zealand's lobbying team in Washington.

Ironically, Helen Clark's initial comments - made to 1ZB and TV One's Breakfast show on March 24 - received little adverse comment within NZ until last Sunday.

"I don't think that September 11 under a Gore presidency would have had this consequence for Iraq. But I think in this [Bush] Administration there were forces that always wanted to go after Iraq and September 11 tipped the balance," the Sunday Star-Times reported her as saying.

* Before last night's developments, Clark told the Herald's John Armstrong: "I take great exception to any suggestion New Zealand is being ticked off. We're just not going to tolerate that."

Herald Feature: Iraq war