UN decision unprincipled; Clark response weak

The United Nations decision to deploy additional Fijian troops to Iraq totally undermines the credibility of both the New Zealand Government and the UN, says National Party Foreign Affairs spokesman Murray McCully.

Mr McCully describes the UN decision as "unacceptable and unprincipled" and says the comments reported to date from the Prime Minister are "weak and represent a substantial backdown."

"The New Zealand Government warned the Fijian military that there would be consequences if they proceeded with threats to overthrow the elected Fijian Government. Both the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs warned that the removal of Fijian military personnel serving on UN peace-keeping duties would be one of those consequences.

“The National Party supported the Government in issuing those warnings at the time.

"New Zealand, along with Australia and many other nations, has now put in place the threatened sanctions. Fiji has been suspended from the Commonwealth.

"The Prime Minister's reported statement that the decision about use of further Fijian military personnel is a matter for the UN is weak and hollow in context of her earlier statements.

"We all have a huge stake in stability in the Pacific. There can be no stability without the rule of law. That is why the National Party has backed the position of the New Zealand Government. The Government now has some explaining to do about its communications with the UN over recent weeks. It must also make clear to the United Nations that this decision is unprincipled and unacceptable,” said Mr McCully.

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