British not expected to test N-ban

Press, 4 February 1986, Page 2

British not expected to test N-ban

By

MARTIN FREETH

in Wellington The Prime Minister, Mr Lange, yesterday virtually ruled out the prospect of Britain's challenging the nuclear ships ban by requesting port access for vessels in the task group it will send to this part of the world in the middle of the year. The Australian and New Zealand area has been identified by the British Government as one of those to be visited by the carrier Illustrious and six other ships comprising the deployment Global 'B6. “I would have expected that had it been planned

for any vessel or vessels of that task force to come to New Zealand to have received the applications now. None has been received,” Mr Lange said after a Cabinet meeting. “Given the previous position outlined by the Under-Secretary for Defence, while in New Zealand last year, and by the public statements of Mrs Thatcher, I would not expect to receive an application because it is the view of the United Kingdom policy that our policy would preclude their visiting here.” In November, 1983, the previous Government permitted the carrier Invincible and a support ship to call at Wellington, during a deployment similar to Global ’B6. The peace group, Coalition Against Nuclear Weapons, says its research shows that six of the ships in this year’s task group are capable of carrying nuclear weapons. . Under the Government’s anti-nuclear ships bill-now before Parliament, such ships will be denied port access unless the Prime Minister is satisfied that they are not carrying nuclear weapons. The British High Commission yesterday confirmed the task group would leave Britain in April for the eight-month deployment. The ships will visit the North Pacific, the Far East, the Indian Ocean, and the Australian and New Zealand area. The commission said there was no indication that port calls in New Zealand had been planned. Mr Lange said the ships would be in the South East Asian and Australasian area during July and August. Talks about the antinuclear policy would be held with the recently appointed Chief of British Defence Staff, Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Fieldhouse, who will visit New Zealand between February 14 and February 19. The commission said Sir John would be on a familiarisation visit. He would talk with the Government and attend a meeting of the New Zealand Defence Council. The previous Chief of Defence Staff made a similar visit here in 1982. A coalition spokesman, Mr Nicky Hager; said Sir John might request port access for British ships.