Clark dismisses war role for frigate

By JOHN ARMSTRONG

The Prime Minister is refusing to explain how the frigate HMNZS Te Kaha can avoid being drawn into a war against Iraq, although it will be escorting American warships through the Gulf.

Helen Clark yesterday brushed off suggestions that New Zealand risked getting into a war through participating in an anti-terrorism operation, saying such concerns about Te Kaha's role were "hypothetical".

As part of the United States-led campaign against terrorism, the frigate is bound for the Gulf at Washington's request to join a taskforce of warships boarding vessels suspected of carrying al Qaeda terrorists.

An Air Force Orion surveillance aircraft is also to join the Canadian-commanded "maritime interdiction operation", which inspects vessels to prevent al Qaeda members from leaving the region by sea.

Helen Clark insists the warship will have no involvement in any unilateral military action the US might take against Iraq which has not been mandated by the United Nations.

However, apart from its inspection role, Te Kaha is also to escort US and other coalition vessels through the Straits of Hormuz.

Helen Clark told Parliament yesterday that the New Zealand frigate would remain in the Gulf even if an offensive was mounted against Iraq.

Its deployment would remain a distinctly separate operation under separate command.

"This is a separate operation, separate purpose, separate command," she insisted.

The Herald asked the Prime Minister's office how that separation could be maintained if Te Kaha was escorting ships involved in a war or the buildup to a war.

Helen Clark responded by saying she was not going to get into "hypothetical situations".

Meanwhile, Green MP Keith Locke said a Defence Force briefing of Opposition MPs had revealed the task force was to map the position of every boat in the southern Persian Gulf and relay that information to a US aircraft carrier, on which an American commander was based.

It was clear that Te Kaha joining the Canadian-led sub-group of the American-led taskforce could free one of its two British warships to participate in an invasion of Iraq.

A September Canadian Defence Department report says taskforce ships have apprehended four people suspected of terrorist involvement, and rescued several dozen travellers from disabled or distressed vessels.

Helen Clark said that in the past month the naval group made 23,223 queries of vessels, and undertook 348 boardings - about 10 a day.