NZ, which for so long was in Washington’s dog-box, is now top of the pops with the Obama administration. Ironically it’s because of NZ’s anti-nuclear policy. The irony is not lost on senior members of the National Party which opposed so strenuously the then Labour Govt’s nuclear policy declaration more than 20 years ago leading to the rupture of NZ’s defence ties through the ANZUS Treaty with the US. It underlines how far National has travelled in a short time under John Key’s leadership, and how swiftly Key senses, then seizes, a political opportunity. Now NZ’s anti-nuclear policy, against all the diplomatic odds, is one of the building blocks for the rapidly expanding relationship with the Obama administration. Even long serving officials are finding it all a bit breathtaking.

Key and Obama in their first contacts, mainly by letter, began exchanging views on disarmament and global security. Last week two top MFAT officials specialising in these fields visited Washington and were given unprecedented access to the most senior officials in the Administration anxious to share information. Then when Obama and Key talked at Singapore, the President urged Key to attend a conference of world leaders in Washington next April. The conference is intended to lead into the scheduled review of the 1968 non-proliferation treaty, the world’s only effective international agreement on the use, and spread, of nuclear weapons. In attending the conference Obama told Key NZ would bring a unique perspective to the conference. Key will be speaking for small states, underlining how a small nation can play an effective role on the world stage.

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