Goff bites back at claims of inconsistent aid policy

Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff has rejected claims the Government is inconsistent in its treatment of Myanmar and Tonga.

In Myanmar, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and more than 1200 political prisoners are being detained, and Tonga is reportedly considering legislation affecting press freedom and blocking ordinances passed by the king from judicial review.

New Zealand opposes the actions in both countries.

Mr Goff has told Myanmar's foreign minister that New Zealand will not give more development assistance "without clear progress towards the restoration of democracy".

But aid to Tonga is not being reduced, and the Cabinet this week approved a visit there next month by Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright for King Taufa-ahau Tupou IV's 85th birthday party.

United Future leader Peter Dunne questioned the consistency of the two issues in Parliament yesterday.

He said the Government was against extending assistance to Myanmar while an anti-democratic administration remained in power.

The Tongan Government was moving to repress free speech, but Mr Goff had "consistently ruled out using the aid weapon he now appears to favour in respect of Myanmar".

Mr Goff angrily dismissed any similarities between the two issues.

"I don't think there is any comparison between Tonga, which does things we don't approve of and has a system that is not a fully democratic system, and Myanmar, where 1200 people are political prisoners," he said.

"People have been murdered; people have been denied basic human rights. I think you target your sanctions and your level of sanctions towards the nature of the regime you're trying to deal with."

- NZPA