Soviet Union praises N.Z.

Press, 25 January 1986, Page 5

Soviet Union praises N.Z.

NZPA-AAP Canberra New Zealand’s ban on nuclear-armed ships has been praised by Mr Yuri Nazarkin, a representative of the Soviet Union’s Foreign Minister, who said his nation would not fire missiles at the South Pacific. The Soviet Union supported in principle the proposals for a nuclear weapons-free South Pacific. Details of such a treaty would be discussed in Moscow early next month, Mr Nazarkin told a press conference in Canberra, held to promote the plan for nuclear disarmament of the Soviet leader, Mr Mikhail Gorbachev. “The Soviet Union is not going to target its missiles to the South Pacific ...” he said. Mr Nazarkin said his Government believed New Zealand’s ban on nuclear ships was a move in the right direction. “Any limitations on nuclear weapons activities could help to reduce the nuclear danger and from this point of view I think New Zealand’s actions are quite helpful,” he said. Mr Nazarkin acknowledged that his country had military forces in the

South Pacific, but he said these were only there because United States facilities in the region were a "threat to our communications.” Asked if the fact that Australia was seen as a close United States ally presented a problem for the Soviet Union, he said: “Certainly we recognise the fact that Australia is an American ally and there are American bases here.” The Soviet Union believed, however, that Australia had its own policies and interest in disarmament. “All Australian delegations play an influential role at ... international forums, including the United Nations Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, (and) I think they are a solid basis for our co-operation in the field of arms control,” he said. His Government believed Australia had a “big interest” in disarmament. “That is why I am here,” he said. Mr Nazarkin said Mr Gorbachev’s peace plan, which provides for a stage by stage reduction of nuclear arms, should not have surprised the Americans because the United

Nations had declared 1'986 the International Year of Peace. The plan was Mr Gorbachev’s contribution to the International Year of Peace. Inherent in the proposals was the requirement for the United States to abandon its Strategic Defence Initiative, known as "Star Wars.” “A ban on the deployment of strike weapons in outer space should become a natural and logical step in the direction of

the liquidation of nuclear arms,” Mr Nazarkin said. The plan for nuclear disarmament was open for discussion. “We are quite prepared to negotiate and find ways ... to implement our ideas.” Mr Nazarkin said his Government had sent envoys to West Germany, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Belgium, Denmark, Japan, India, Argentina, Mexico, and Tanzania to promote the proposals.