Rumsfeld vows NZ-ban review

WASHINGTON DC - United States Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has promised to examine whether the presidential ban on joint military exercises with NZ should be clarified to accommodate NZ's increasing role in the US-led Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI).

NZ Defence Minister Phil Goff said the commitment came in talks at the Pentagon, where he had also urged the US not to allow the long-standing anti-nuclear issue to get in the way of building a foundation for a strong bilateral economic and security relationship for the 21st century.

"We don't deny its importance to the US nor do we deny its importance to the New Zealand public," said Mr Goff. "Both sides have taken a clear stand on it. I don't think we can ignore the issue but nor should we see our wider relationship through the prism of one single issue."

The US imposed the military ban in 1987 as a reprisal against New Zealand's decision to pass legislation banning nuclear-armed and -propelled ships. But it has twice given waivers so NZ can take part in exercises under the PSI - an initiative set up in 2003 by President George W. Bush to intercept weapons of mass destruction.

"We're not trying to bend the rules or circumvent the directive," said Mr Goff. "We understand that is the American response and will remain the American response until such time as they are prepared to change it."

But he indicated that New Zealand's much smaller defence capabilities - compared with the US military's technical superiority - made it difficult to take part in the PSI and ongoing anti-terror operations in Afghanistan if it was "not able to move forward safely and effectively".

"He [Rumsfeld] acknowledged that it made sense where we are working together if there is clarity and transparency about the rules."

Mr Goff also suggested to influential analysts and officials present for his address to the US National Defence University yesterday that NZ would welcome to its shores the return of most US surface ships, since all are conventionally powered except for aircraft carriers.

This would simply replicate the convention observed by other nuclear powers such as Britain, France and China and would assist the US servicing its Antarctica operations.

But he said he did not think the US would be ready to decide that yet.

Mr Goff's revelations follow his ground-breaking move to open a "conversation" on the nuclear differences with Washington - a move advocated last year by the former US Ambassador to Wellington Charles Swindells.

National Party leader Don Brash, who is in Washington, also underlined the bipartisan anti-nuclear stance in a meeting with Ryan Henry, the principal Under-Secretary of Defence.

After three days in Washington, Mr Goff - seen by the US as a possible future Prime Minister - has extended an olive branch by fronting up on the nuclear issues.

He is the first Labour Defence Minister Rumsfeld has welcomed at the Pentagon; he has openly assured Washington NZ will continue to play a full role in the war on terror; he has addressed the military exercises issue; and he has outlined New Zealand's strategic perspective on the increasingly unstable South Pacific.