{"id":1621792,"date":"2024-04-20T23:12:40","date_gmt":"2024-04-20T23:12:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/?p=100019"},"modified":"2024-04-20T23:12:40","modified_gmt":"2024-04-20T23:12:40","slug":"have-new-zealanders-really-been-misled-about-aukus-or-is-involvement-now-a-foregone-conclusion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2024\/04\/20\/have-new-zealanders-really-been-misled-about-aukus-or-is-involvement-now-a-foregone-conclusion\/","title":{"rendered":"Have New Zealanders really been \u2018misled\u2019 about AUKUS, or is involvement now a foregone conclusion?"},"content":{"rendered":"
ANALYSIS:<\/strong> By Marco de Jong<\/a>, Auckland University of Technology<\/a> and Robert G. Patman<\/a>, University of Otago<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n When former prime minister Helen Clark spoke out<\/a> against New Zealand potentially compromising its independent foreign policy by joining pillar two of the AUKUS security pact, Foreign Minister Winston Peters responded bluntly<\/a>:<\/p>\n On what could she have possibly based that statement? [\u2026] And I\u2019m saying to people, including Helen Clark, please don\u2019t mislead New Zealanders with your suspicions without any facts \u2013 let us find out what we\u2019re talking about.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Pillar one of AUKUS involves the delivery of nuclear submarines to Australia, making New Zealand membership impossible under its nuclear-free policy.<\/p>\n But pillar two envisages the development of advanced military technology in areas such as artificial intelligence, hypersonic missiles and cyber warfare. By some reckonings, New Zealand could benefit from joining at that level.<\/p>\n Peters denies the National-led coalition government has committed to joining pillar two. He says exploratory talks with AUKUS members are \u201cto find out all the facts, all the aspects of what we\u2019re talking about and then as a country to make a decision.\u201d<\/p>\n But while the previous Labour government expressed a willingness to explore pillar two membership, the current government appears to view it as integral to its broader foreign policy objective of aligning New Zealand more closely<\/a> with \u201ctraditional partners\u201d.<\/p>\n Official enthusiasm In particular, he and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed there were \u201cpowerful reasons\u201d for New Zealand to engage practically with arrangements like AUKUS \u201cas and when all parties deem it appropriate\u201d.<\/p>\n Former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark warns a “profoundly undemocratic” shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy is taking place \u2014 warning the coalition Government off a geopolitical shift which Kiwis didn’t vote for. https:\/\/t.co\/2E2aKOpf2w<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 1News (@1NewsNZ) April 9, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n
\n<\/strong>During his visit to Washington earlier this month, Peters said<\/a> New Zealand and the Biden administration had pledged \u201cto work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests\u201d in a strategic environment \u201cconsiderably more challenging now than even a decade ago\u201d.<\/p>\n\n