Bassett Speech reconfirms Labour's Anti-US

new-zealand-national-party

Wed Aug 06 2003 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Bassett Speech reconfirms Labour's Anti-US

Wednesday, 6 August 2003, 3:02 pm
Press Release: New Zealand National Party

The Prime Minister's recent foreign affairs faux pas was clearly not a slip of the tongue says National Party Defence Spokesman Simon Power, in responding to comments by former Labour Minister Michael Bassett.

Speaking to an audience at Victoria University, Dr Bassett said Helen Clark, Margaret Wilson and Jim Anderton cornered David Lange, and forced him to back down on promises to the United States leading to the breakdown in ANZUS relations.

"The destruction of ANZUS and the subsequent rift between New Zealand and our once strong ally the United States can be laid at the feet of Helen Clark's long-standing anti-Americanism.

"As a result we have been left out in the cold by the US. We were excluded from intelligence, defence agreements and exercises. It took more than a decade for ministerial visits to resume.

"Almost twenty years later Helen Clark continues to push her anti-American barrow. Her comments on the US presidency and foreign policy has increased pressure on our already fragile relationship, jeopardising years of hard work in securing better trade access for our exporters to 290-million Americans.

"As a small isolated exporting nation in an uncertain world we need the US on side now more than ever to ensure our military and economic security. It will take more than political spin to change history", says Simon Power.

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