Clark outlines NZ role in Iraq UN force

3.45pm

New Zealand's army engineers and mine-clearing experts could be called on if the United Nations sanctioned the use of force against Iraq, Prime Minister Helen Clark told Parliament today.

Speaking as the House met for the first time this year, she said unless there were dramatic developments within Iraq, and in its level of co-operation with weapons inspectors, there was likely to be armed intervention with or without the backing of the Security Council.

"I repeat today our government's call to Iraq to move rapidly to prevent the catastrophe which war would bring to its people," she said.

"If the Security Council were to sanction the use of force, New Zealand as a United Nations member would be obliged to uphold the resolution and would consider what contribution it could make."

She said that contribution would most likely be humanitarian, medical or logistic support.

"It could probably most usefully be made at the end stage of the conflict when the huge task of meeting Iraq's needs for reconstruction and humanitarian support would have to be tackled by the international community.

"The New Zealand Defence Force's engineering and mine clearance expertise is well regarded in the United Nations, and may be called on," she said.

"Some kind of peacekeeping operation could also be established by the UN."

Miss Clark said that by the end of next week, the world would have a clearer picture of whether there would be war in Iraq or not.

"The New Zealand Government supports the weapons inspectors continuing their work if they report that they believe they can continue to make progress," she said.

"This has to be preferable to the consequences of war on the people of Iraq and to the implications war could have for the wider Middle East, for international terrorism, and for the United Nations itself."

Setting out the Government's Iraq policy to the packed debating chamber, Miss Clark said New Zealand, like most governments, had sought to uphold the principles of multilateralism, the international rule of law and the authority of the Security Council.

"We do not support unilateral action against Iraq," she said.

"We place considerable weight on the inspection and disarmament process which has been established.

"We have a strong preference for a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

"We recognise that the Security Council can authorise the use of force as a last resort to uphold its resolutions.

"We do not believe that such authorisation would be justified while weapons inspectors are still engaged fruitfully in their inspections with the objective of disarming Iraq, and we support them continuing their work."

Miss Clark said Iraq was not the world's only trouble spot, and North Korea's admission of a nuclear weapons programme was of great concern.

The nuclear stand-off between India and Pakistan last year heightened concern about weapons proliferation, and progress on an Israeli-Palestinian settlement was badly needed.

"The gravity of these issues lead New Zealand to be engaged in international consideration and resolution of them," she said.

Miss Clark said the Government had a very heavy domestic programme this year.

"Our sights are firmly set on lifting New Zealand's economic performance, ensuring that the rewards of that are widely shared, and on building a cohesive, inclusive and both forward-looking and outward-looking nation," she said.

During her speech, the prime minister ranged across all the main cabinet portfolios and dealt with the economy.

She said performance had been strong and over the past year New Zealand had been one of the OECD's star performers with an average growth of 3.9 per cent.

She said the economy was projected to come off that growth peak but commentators were predicting a soft landing.

"Given the state of most Western economies, that would be a very credible result."

Miss Clark promised a strong and prudent fiscal policy would be maintained.

"Spending which grows unsustainably inevitably ends in the heartache of structural deficit and/or cutbacks," she said.

Her only reference to party politics was when she spoke about the Treaty of Waitangi.

"Some opposition parties have signalled their intention to focus on issues relating to Maoridom and the Treaty this year in a way that I believe is divisive and destructive," she said.

"The Government will be continuing its partnerships with Maoridom for economic and social development."

She said the Government would ensure more information was available about the Treaty, so the public could debate its significance in an informed way.

- NZPA