Storm Signals Fijfer U.S.In South Pacific

Storm Signals FIJ fer U.S.in South Pacific . New Zealand's ban on entry mitment to the alliance. But at the of nuclear-capable naval ships same time, he has made clear that he will not back down from his decision to raises fresh set of problems bar nuclear-armed or nuclear-powered for the Reagan administration. ships from New Zealand waters. In the words of one of his supporters WELLINGTON here: "Nuclear weapons are a danger The sharp dispute over nuclear arms to the entire, world, and we shouldn't between the United States and New have anything to do with them." Zealand, staunch allies for more than To avoid tipping off the Soviet Union, three decades, is threatening Ameri- the U.S. refuses to disclose which ships can military strategy in the South Pa- in its fleet are in the nuclear category. cific with a serious setback Washington contends that Lange's or- At stake: The viability of the ANZUS der, therefore, amounts to a ban against Treaty, the 33-year-old defense pact all American vessels and thus under- among Australia, New Zealand and the mines the alliance. Lange says he is pro-U.S. but antinuclear. U'S. that anchors the southern edge of Heightening U.S. concern is the real- the West's security network in Asia. ization that not only U.S.-New Zealand Zealand as a big brother, as a window Triggered by the antinuclear stance relations are being cast into doubt. on the world. It might not take much of Prime Minister David Lange, a policy Lange's antinuclear position also is in- to encourage these small states to emu- that effectively bans American warships creasing pressure inside Australia, an late Wellington. The resulting patch- from calling at New Zealand ports, the even more important member of the work of nuclear-free zones might make crisis already has led Washington to can- alliance, for a similar reduction of sup- it all but impossible for U.S. ships to cel at least six defense exercises involv- port for U.S. defense policies. move through the area." ing New Zealand. Likewise, several island nations in Beyond that, American policymakers Secretary of State George Shultz told the South Pacific may weigh nuclear fear that the ANZUS crisis could pro- a U.S. Senate cO!pmittee on February _prohibitions of their own. Vanuatu, far- voke a backlash as far away as Japan 21 that New Zealand basically had "tak- one, already has withdrawn the gang- and in Western Europe, where some en a walk" from ANZUS. plank for American ships. allies are seen wavering ih their com- Asthe estrangement widened, Lange Notes one American analyst in Wash- mitment to the US. nuclear deterrent planned during a late-February visit to ington: "Leaders of such islands as Fiji, against the U.S.S.R.. the US. to personally reaffirm his com- Tonga and Western Samoa look to New Soviet buildup. What makes discord in ANZUS even more disconcerting to the U.S,is the fact that it comes at a time SubicBay /J.-Clark Air Base of growing Soviet military expansion in Pacific the Pacific. The Kremlin has turned NavalBas~PHILipPINEs M I C RON e "";,,',Ocean Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam into a major air-and-naval facility. The American- / ro . 8 /> ;" ·PALAU . -1 built installation now is a home base for Badger bombers, MiG-23 jet fighters and surveillance craft that give the So- viets an unprecedented presence in a region long dominated by the U.S. Making matters worse: Spreading anti-American sentiment in the Philip- pines at the western fringe of the South Pacific is raising concern over the long- term security of the two key US. facili- ties in Asia,Clark AirBase and Subic Bay Naval Base. Some opponents of Presi- dent Ferdinand Marcos pledge to shut down the bases if they gain power. New Zealand seems an improbable nation to rock the West's security boat. A peaceful farming land of 3.2 million Tasman Sea people and more than 60 million sheep, it is far removed from the world's majorj hot spots. It long has been a close U.S. Sc..-------,ale of miles friend, sending troops to fight in the o 500 Korean and Vietnam wars. USN&WR In 1951, New Zealand signed the U.S.NEWS & WORLD REPORT, March 4, 1985 ~- -- U.S.S. Buchanan. New Zealand's denial of port call for the American destroyer leads to South Pacific controversy. ANZUS Treaty, a loosely worded pact ANZUS exercise scheduled for March, favor has dropped to half for and half binding each member to "consult" and but declining to state whether the ship against.: A recent poll indicated that 78 "act to meet the common danger ac- would be carrying nuclear arms. percent of New Zealanders surveyed cording to its constitutional processes." After days ofwrangling, New Zealand supported ANZUS. Originally formed to protect against a refused entry, making it the first treaty Domestic politics cannot be ignored. potentially rearmed Japan, ANZUS has member to bar an American warship. Lange's conservative foes argue that become an umbrella for military and The U.S. promptly pulled out of the the Prime Minister's stand will hinder, intelligence cooperation agreements. planned Sea Eagle maneuvers and later not help, arms-control efforts. They But ANZUS was not created as a nu- canceled or withdrew from other joint challenge Labor's denial of a potential clear alliance, and New Zealand has operations, asserting that participation military threat to New Zealand, citing displayed over the years its apprehen- with New Zealand would be "inappro- the Soviet Union's blue-water fleet that sion about the possible introduction of priate." In Washington, American offi- operates out of Vietnam. atomic-weapons close to home. it also' . cials said-New Zealand no longer will _ _Yet the left wng _ofthe ruling Labor opposes French nuclear tests in the Pa- be treated as an ally. Party appears bent on taking an even cific and in 1972 sent a Navy ship with a Reconciliation will not come .easily, more independent tack in the months cabinet minister aboard into the French Lange says he is pro-American but in- ahead. test area to demonstrate its disapproval. sists he is committed to oppose nuclear Treaty stands. Lange has dropped While not a hot issue in last July's arms and that ANZUSnever was meant hints that he is willing to negotiate. But elections that put Lange in power, the to be a nuclear-protection pact. As he .he also refutes the idea that the end of call for a ban on nuclear-armed or puts it: "The real question at issue, the ANZUS is at hand. Even critics con- powered ships was a significant element question which must in the interest ofall cede he is right. of the Labor Party platform. So when of us now be resolved, is whether nucle- "The chances of Congress going Labor won, the 42-year-old Lange, a ar weapons have become the whole along with a new defense treaty of any Methodist lay preacher, wasted no time character of the ANZUS alliance." kind in this age are not high," says one issuing his controversial directive. To ease suspicion that he is anti- opponent. "Besides, if the U.S. broke Despite strong bonds of friendship West, Lange called in the Soviet am- up an alliance over one disagreement, with the U.S., Lange's antinuclear tilt bassador on February 22 to warn Mos- what does that do to its credibility in has won widespread support in New cow not to take propaganda advantage other alliances such as those with Japan Zealand. Saysone doctor in Wellington: of his quarrel with the Americans. New or Western Europe?" "A lot of people here believe nuclear Zealand, he said, still is an "unshakable Shultz himself told American sena- arms should have no role in our de- member of the Western alliance." tors that the treaty will remain on pa- fense-or in solving world problems. Complicating any solution is the Da- per until New Zealand returns to the They should not be a part of New Zea- vid-Goliath nature of the dispute. fold. State Department officials said land's input into international matters." American visitors to this breezy capital that could take months or even years. A new generation. The point also is of English-style churches and ginger- Diplomats here believe that the U.S. made that many members of the bread houses quickly are barraged with eventually will pressure New Zealand' Lange government are too young to jibes about "big brother" trying to or- by reducing arms sales and by less shar- have memories of World War II, when der smaller countries around. ing of intelligence information. Western nations had to fight together Yet many civilian and military offi- But even that would be difficult. against a common enemy. cials in New Zealand privately oppose More than a dozen American, Austra- Even against that background, the the nuclear ban and express their un- lian and New Zealand intelligence U.S. believed at first that differences derstanding of American anger. "The agencies cooperate so closely that it could be resolved by.quiet diplomacy. U:S..has to make a point," says one. would be hard, if not impossible, to Instead, the level of rhetoric soared. Public-opinion surveys reflect a simi- separate their operations. Finally, the U.S. decided to call lar ambivalence. Since cancellation of With New Zealand's role in ANZUS Lange's bluff, ordering the destroyer the Sea Eagle exercise, mail to newspa- up in the air, American strategists are Buchanan to make a port call after an pers that once ran 5 to 1 in Lange's wondering about Australia's intentions.

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