NZ finds friend in high place

By FRAN O'SULLIVAN assistant editor

United States Ambassador-designate Charles "Butch" Swindells looks set to emerge as a powerful champion in New Zealand's campaign for a free trade agreement with the US.

At his nominations hearing in front of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Mr Swindells said the free trade relationship would be a priority.

Mr Swindells - a free-trader by inclination - praised New Zealand's role as a wonderful partner of the United States and "advocate of liberalising free trade around the world."

"New Zealand is a key partner in liberalising international trade as we seek to launch a new World Trade Organisation round this year and advance the APEC agenda," said Mr Swindells.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman John Kerry played down the long-standing impasse with New Zealand over security issues.

"While US-New Zealand defence relations continued to strain under the disagreement over nuclear issues, New Zealand had played an important role in restoring order to East Timor and worked with the US military in the dangerous peacekeeping operation," Senator Kerry said.

"Putting that into a box, beyond that, there's just so much that we can do in New Zealand in terms of trade, in terms of expanding our trading agreements with them, that will be very beneficial to both countries."

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee's support is a strong fillip for Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton's campaign to cement a free trade agreement.

On a lobbying trip to Washington in May, Mr Sutton outlined New Zealand's case to US Trade Representative Bob Zoellick and key political players.

But the Bush Administration had made the launch of the next World Trade Organisation round its priority, and was not expected to move on New Zealand until after the Australian election.

At the Senate Committee hearing, Mr Swindells was praised as someone who was not "an ideologue," but a consensus-builder, whose name was on every good cause to come across their desks.

Mr Swindells is not the only powerful ally championing New Zealand's case.

Tomorrow, former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney will start a NZ visit, during which he will outline the benefits of this country joining the North American Free Trade Agreement.