Canberra confused about Peters' role

PUSAN - The Australian Government has asked for an explanation of Foreign Minister Winston Peters' role in government.

His predecessor Phil Goff, as the new Trade Minister, met with Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer at the Apec meeting in Pusan, South Korea.

Today Mr Goff said: "Alexander Downer was very keen to now what the new government arrangement meant."

He said he assured Mr Downer that the arrangements to form the Government were stable and would result in coherent foreign policy.

Mr Goff's revelation came after Mr Peters said he had sought the assistance of Australia to help improve New Zealand's relations with the United States.

Mr Peters said he had met Mr Downer last night and told National Radio: "These are discussions that other nations of course have an interest and may be of assistance and in that context we had a very profitable discussion." Mr Peters said Mr Downer was happy to help, but it was yet to be determined how.

Mr Peters is supporting the Labour government on crucial votes in exchange for policy concessions. He also gained the foreign affairs portfolio, but insists he is not part of the Government. Instead he is bound by Labour's policy in foreign affairs but allowed to argue against it elsewhere.

Mr Peters has also declined to chair the Cabinet's foreign affairs committee, a position normally taken by the Foreign Minister.

However, Mr Goff said: "I think Winston Peters will want to make his third endeavour of forming the role of a Cabinet minister a success. I think he will want to go the three years."

He also gave assurances to the Australians that New Zealand's foreign policy would remain consistent.

"I advised Alexander Downer that this is the foreign policy of the Labour-led Government," Mr Goff said.

"While Winston has the flexibility on issues outside of his portfolio, in his portfolio he has collective responsibility and responsibility to carry out the wishes of Government.

"He accepted the portfolio on the basis that he didn't have great differences from where the Labour-led government had taken New Zealand in foreign policy."

Mr Peters was in Pusan with Mr Goff and outgoing trade minister Jim Sutton for the first day of ministerial meetings of the 21 Apec nations.

It was Mr Peters' first meetings in his new role on foreign soil, but ministry officials said he was not available to comment on his day's work despite repeated requests for interviews.

Mr Peters was to have met with his counterparts from China, as well as Mr Downer and others.

Earlier this week, Mr Peters said he wished to talk to China about the decline in the number of their students studying in New Zealand as well as the trade deficit New Zealand has with the Asian giant.

Today, the three ministers have their last formal meetings with their Apec counterparts ahead of the leaders meeting on Friday and Saturday.

- NZPA