Foreign Relations: NZ’s PM Rides Anti-Nuclear Wave Into Washington
April 22nd, 2010
NZ’s stocks with the Obama administration are on a new level. The US president told John Key NZ had “well and truly earned” a place at the table of the nuclear security summit in Washington. The forum is Obama’s attempt to forge a global consensus about what is unarguably the most pressing issue of the modern era, the risk of fissionable materials falling into the wrong hands. Given the absence of Aust’s PM Kevin Rudd from the Washington forum, Key has been handed a leadership role in shaping a regional approach to ensuring all efforts are made to encourage responsible use of nuclear power and limit the possibility of mishap, especially as the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty is fraying.
- – - NOT A SUBSCRIBER? – - — – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - –
UNDERSTAND GOVERNMENT WITH NEW ZEALAND’S NO.1 POLITICAL LETTER
THE TRANS TASMAN POLITICAL LETTER
Published since 1968. Hot On The Spot from Wellington and Canberra. An indispensable guide to what’s happening and why it’s happening…in Politics, the Economy, Legislation and Regulations. Analysis and Forecasts which are impartial, accurate, reliable and timely. Published each Thursday 46 times per year.
To subscribe http://transtasman.co.nz/home/special-introductory-offer
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
US Vice-president Joe Biden pointed to this leadership role when he talked of NZ “working with other countries demonstrating the world free of nuclear weapons could be a better place.” Some commentators have noted the irony of a political leader of a party which opposed NZ’s anti-nuclear stand for many years now joining, and even spearheading, the campaign to curtail the proliferation of nuclear equipment, materials or technology to “undesirable” players. It shows Key is no slouch at getting NZ into an international framework, and pragmatically exploiting what works in NZ’s favour.
Copyright © Trans Tasman Media Ltd
Duncan Cotterill