Clark and Howard agree to disagree on Iraq

5.00pm

Prime Minister Helen Clark and her Australian counterpart John Howard have agreed to disagree but stay friends over a possible United States-led invasion of Iraq.

As US president George W Bush applied pressure on the United Nations Security Council to sanction the invasion with another resolution, Miss Clark and Mr Howard discussed the roles of both countries in the crisis when they met in Auckland today.

Australia already has troops in the Persian Gulf ready to take part in an invasion of Iraq if orders are given.

New Zealand has said if the Security Council authorised the use of force against Iraq, it would consider humanitarian, medical or logistic support.

In a joint media conference today with Mr Howard, Miss Clark said they were both very clear of the other country's role.

"We register the difference of opinion over the timetable and the means, but there is not daylight between us on the objective.

"We have taken an agree-to-disagree position on the timetable and the means of resolving this in the short term," Miss Clark said.

"But there can be no disagreement at all in the objective which is that we want to put the crisis over Iraq behind us, see Iraq effectively disarmed and contained, and having resolved that, we can see a greater possibility of bringing stability to the Middle East," she said.

Miss Clark said one of the distressing aspects of the Iraq crisis was that long-standing friends in other parts of the world had exchanged very sharp words.

"I am determined New Zealand isn't going to lose good friends or damage friendships over this.

"There are a range of opinions in countries with which both of us identify in the normal course of events in most things. But it is important we respect the differences and they are expressed in a courteous way and you are not going to find the New Zealand Government attacking long-time friends."

She said the issue was dealt with on its merits, and other issues such as a potential free trade agreement with the US had not influenced the New Zealand Government's stance.

"It is very important we not get involved in what I might call trade across issues.

"Part of my formative experience as a young person was seeing a New Zealand prime minister commit troops to Vietnam on what was widely speculated on at the time as being about a meat quota.

"It is very important we look at these issues on their own merits," said Miss Clark, who demonstrated against New Zealand troops going to Vietnam.

Mr Howard said Australia was not trying to shut anyone out of talks with the US on a free trade agreement.

"What I have said to the Prime Minister (Miss Clark) is that along the way if we can point the Americans in the direction of New Zealand we are very happy to do so."

Both leaders said their differing views on how to handle the Iraq crisis had not led to any tension between the two countries.

The pair held bilateral trade talks in Auckland during the weekend to commemorate 20 years of the Closer Economic Relations (CER) free trade agreement between the two countries.

All their functions in Auckland were accompanied by anti-war protesters, including some who labelled Mr Howard a warmonger.

"It's not very original," Mr Howard said.

About 40 protesters gathered outside the Sheraton Hotel today.

The hotel was closed off by street barriers and there was a strong police presence both inside the hotel and on the streets surrounding it.

Mr Howard flew to Wellington this afternoon in the Australian air force Boeing 737 VIP aircraft where he was to be met by Health Minister Annette King.

Mr Howard and his wife Janette were due to attend a dinner in tonight hosted by Australian High Commissioner Robert Cotton before a round of official engagements tomorrow, including a wreath-laying ceremony at the National War Memorial, a meeting with opposition leader Bill English and a meeting with Miss Clark and the Cabinet.

He would also meet some of the New Zealand firefighters who had just returned from Australia where they had been helping fight bush fires. He departs for Australia tomorrow afternoon.

- NZPA