US warns NZ:
The elephant never forgets — or forgives

US Ambassador to New Zealand Charles Swindells, stirred the 
pot recently when he attempted to give a speech at the Wellington 
University campus. Anti-US protestors prevented him from 
delivering the speech but he made it public anyhow by sending 
copies to New Zealand government leaders.

The issue that has really stuck in the craw of the US leaders is 
the refusal of New Zealand governments to admit US nuclear armed 
ships into New Zealand ports. More recently the Labour government 
of Helen Clark has gone further by refusing to join in the Iraq 
war.

Charles Swindells said that while the nuclear issue did not 
define the bilateral relationship, it did come with a price and 
impeded cooperation in some areas. He urged a re-examination of 
the issue, and warned that the US was not simply going to "get 
over it".

Many New Zealanders have been hopeful of a free-trade agreement 
with the world's largest economy and were distressed when the US 
opened FTA negotiations with Australia and left New Zealand out 
in the cold. In his speech Mr Swindells dashed any hopes that FTA 
talks with New Zealand would begin soon.

"Trade between us is a strong point in the relationship but ... 
it is not helpful to unduly raise expectations about an FTA."

No change

Prime Minister Helen Clark has ruled out reviewing the nuclear 
policy. Almost 20 years ago, Clark played a key role in the Lange 
government's decision to ban nuclear ships.

Former Prime Minister David Lange said in an interview last week 
that he remained "proud" of the nuclear ban, and pleased that no 
government since then has rescinded the legislation.

He said the US appeared to be annoyed by New Zealand's opposition 
to the war on Iraq and was reacting in a "somewhat browbeating 
fashion. The United States seems to be aggrieved that we didn't 
rush off to Iraq at the first opportunity".

Lange suggested that it was easy for the US to vent "a fit of 
pique" at New Zealand, but it was interesting that it hadn't 
taken the same approach towards European governments that also 
opposed the war.

Mr Swindells made reference to New Zealand's failure to back its 
traditional allies, the US, Britain and Australia, on Iraq. "I 
tell you frankly that we were saddened by New Zealand's decision 
not to participate in the liberation of the Iraqi people," he 
said.

In a recent poll 43 percent of respondents thought the government 
should review its policy [on nuclear ships], while 55 percent 
disagreed.