INDEPENDENT NEWS

Clark's UN principles vaporise after insults

Published: Mon 30 Jun 2003 02:02 PM
Hon Bill English MP National Party Leader
30 June 2003
Clark's UN principles vaporise after insults
The Labour Government's much talked about 'principles' on the war in Iraq appear to have vaporised in the rush to make amends for the insults traded with our friends and allies, according to National Party Leader Bill English.
"The National Party fully supports a New Zealand commitment to Solomon Islands, we have a responsibility to help maintain law and order in the Pacific.
"However, it's difficult to see how Helen Clark can be so supportive given her position on multilateralism.
"Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has been using the situation in the Solomons as part of a crusade against the UN, saying 'the moment might be lost to solve a problem and your failure will be failure which is on the altar of multilateralism'.
"After her 'principled' stand on Iraq, how can Helen Clark approve of the commitment to the Solomons when it hasn't got any UN mandate?
How can she support a new 'coalition of the willing' when Australia's using the operation to criticise the UN?
"Among the reasons given by Australia for bypassing the UN is the expectation that China would exercise its right of veto.
"During the Iraq war Helen Clark put New Zealand right beside China saying 'what everyone's looking at is whether there is going to be a Franco/German/Russia linkup with good links through to the Chinese, against what we have, which looks like a small Anglo/American group'.
"It's these kinds of radical shifts in foreign policy that have left our traditional friends and allies scratching their heads in bewilderment.
"New Zealand has to know who its friends are and our allies need to know they can count on us," says Mr English.
Ends

Next in New Zealand politics

Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
By: New Zealand Government
GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan
By: New Zealand Government
New Zealand Provides Further Humanitarian Support To Gaza And The West Bank
By: New Zealand Government
High Court Judge Appointed
By: New Zealand Government
Parliamentary Network Breached By The PRC
By: New Zealand Government
Tax Cuts Now Even More Irresponsible
By: New Zealand Labour Party
View as: DESKTOP | MOBILE © Scoop Media