Helen, Henry and Uncle Sam

By HELEN TUNNAH deputy political editor

New Zealand's at times frosty relationship with the United States may have warmed a little over the weekend after a chance meeting in Korea between Prime Minister Helen Clark and former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

Though not a part of President George W. Bush's Republican Administration, Dr Kissinger described himself as being friendly with the US leadership and spoke warmly of his time with Helen Clark.

"I think we probably start at somewhat different points of the political spectrum but I ... found the discussion extremely helpful and in a spirit that I found very congenial.

"I hope you all understand that I am a private citizen. I am not here as an official but I am very friendly with our Administration."

As he left, he invited Helen Clark to visit him in the US.

The pair, both in Seoul for the commemorations to mark 50 years since the end of the Korean War, talked for 45 minutes on Saturday and later took time to appear for photographs, and to talk to reporters about the war in Iraq and nuclear threats on the Korean peninsula.

Helen Clark has not always endeared herself to President Bush's Administration, saying earlier this year that the Iraq War might not have happened if Democrat Al Gore had been elected.

A clearly delighted Helen Clark said meeting Dr Kissinger had been a privilege. She had been a young protester against the Vietnam War. Dr Kissinger shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 with North Vietnamese diplomat Le Duc Tho for his role in establishing the Vietnam ceasefire.

The meeting was at Dr Kissinger's request. He was President Bush's representative at the war commemorations, held amid international tension over North Korea's admission that it had nuclear weapons.

He said his knowledge of New Zealand-US relations was weak, but he did know New Zealand's nuclear policy had caused problems.

"To my shame I have to confess that I haven't concentrated on all the details of that relationship. I'm aware of some disagreements that existed.

"I have heard very positive things about the co-operation between New Zealand and the United States in the anti-terrorist field, and in Iraq. So I think that the relationship is very good in the political field."

The nuclear policy was an obstacle to military co-operation, he said, but it had not been a barrier to close co-operation in other aspects of the relationship.