Weapons likely to stay hidden

By Warren Gamble

Foreign security agents will carry firearms during the Apec summit but Police Commissioner Peter Doone has apparently taken a restrictive line on the number of guns.

The Apec police commander, Detective Superintendent Peter Marshall, will not say how many firearm applications from overseas security services have been approved under legislation passed for the summit.

He would only confirm that a number of applications had been received.

The Arms Amendment Act, passed in April, allows Mr Doone to authorise foreign personal protection officers to carry airguns, pistols and restricted weapons during their Apec bodyguarding duties.

Restricted weapons include everything from rocket and grenade-launchers to machine-guns.

The New Zealand Herald understands that Mr Doone believed weapons should have been restricted to his own officers during the summit.

But the Government introduced the legislation after it was clear that some countries - notably the United States - would not attend if their leaders could not bring armed protection.

Mr Doone's personal view has apparently not changed. As a result, the countries that have sought the right to carry guns - likely to include the United States, Russia, China, Japan, Korea and Indonesia - might be restricted to two or three weapons each.

A number of delegations, such as Australia and Papua New Guinea, are happy to leave armed protection to New Zealand police.

And forget about brazen heavies toting AK-47 assault rifles. While the legislation allows the commissioner to approve restricted weapons, it seems he will approve only handguns, usually concealed under bodyguards' dark jackets.

Most agencies are understood to favour the 9mm semi-automatic Glock pistol.

At the 1995 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting one delegation was blocked from bringing in an AK-47.