Powell's big thank-you works wonders for Clark

By JOHN ARMSTRONG in Shanghai

Early on Friday evening, the woman once seen as epitomising anti-American sentiment in the Labour Party received a big thank-you for helping the United States military from the man who bombed Baghdad.

Helen Clark's meeting during Apec with American Secretary of State Colin Powell, which ran double its scheduled 15 minutes, will make New Zealand's Opposition MPs weep with frustration.

For weeks, Richard Prebble, Max Bradford, Jenny Shipley and then Bill English have claimed the political high ground following the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

They argued that New Zealand's initially muted response was an affront to a traditional ally.

They went as far as calling for the invoking of the long-dormant Anzus Treaty to demonstrate New Zealand stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the United States.

They demanded a review of the Prime Minister's axing of the Skyhawks, a decision which those MPs had predicted would have serious repercussions for New Zealand in Washington.

Mr Prebble pointed to Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff's meeting in Washington three weeks ago with Mr Powell's deputy - rather than the man himself - as evidence of a downgrading.

So, it must be galling to watch Mr Powell going out of his way to publicly thank Helen Clark for the contribution of SAS troops to the American-led coalition against global terrorism.

The handshakes will go a long way towards helping Labour shunt defence off the election-year agenda.

Half an hour was a big chunk of Mr Powell's time in Shanghai. That half-hour was originally set aside for Indonesia. Then it was split into two 15-minute slots to squeeze in Helen Clark. She and Mr Powell ran over time and the Indonesians were kept waiting.

The positive vibes should not be misinterpreted as a reinvigoration of Anzus. The treaty is still firmly in abeyance because of New Zealand's refusal to let nuclear-powered warships into its ports.

That intractable problem has simply been sidestepped. The Americans are far more interested in getting New Zealand's ensign run up the anti-terrorism coalition's flagpole, given few other countries have offered military backing.

They will also appreciate Helen Clark's firm, Tony Blair-like stance on the necessity of military action.

The big bonus for her in return was some encouraging noises volunteered by Mr Powell about the United States' willingness to negotiate a free-trade agreement with Australia and New Zealand, although progress will not be made until after next month's Australian elections and the granting of legislative authority by the Congress.

However, not everyone in the Labour-led minority Government will applaud the Prime Minister's diplomacy, which has taken advantage of extraordinary events to warm relations between the US and her centre-left coalition.

In closing down the Opposition's avenues of attack, she is exposing herself on her other flank.

Helen Clark argues the military action against Afghanistan is mandated by the United Nations.

But Jim Anderton's Alliance does not like being linked to the US military machine and it does not like free-trade agreements.

Full coverage: Apec 2001

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