Editorial: Agreement in spirit more than substance

Hillary Clinton. Photo / Simon Baker

Every gesture of good will from the United States for a long time now has been hailed in some quarters as a burying of our nuclear differences. They were not. Nor is the "Wellington Declaration" that was signed by Secretary of State Hilary Clinton after her meeting with the Prime Minister this week.

It is a document more important for its spirit than its substance. It is symbolic of two natural allies doing what they can to work around an awkward fact: the US cannot have an ally that does not want its nuclear deterrent.

A quarter century has passed since the late David Lange waxed eloquent that New Zealand had no wish to be sheltered by a nuclear umbrella. No Prime Minister since has expressed the policy in quite those terms but that remains the principle of it. Should this country ever need a nuclear deterrent we would renounce it, would we not?

No, we almost certainly would not. We would undoubtedly drop the pretence in the time it took to call Washington. We can maintain the pose only because no such threat can be imagined and should one arise we would probably face it in concert with Australia which fortunately remains a US ally.

All this was said 25 years ago and the world is a less dangerous place than it was then. The Cold War is over, US surface ships no longer routinely carry nuclear weapons. The world has more reason to fear fissile material in the hands of stateless terrorists than from any nation that offers a target for deterrence. Our nuclear policy has become even less relevant to our security.

But it has acquired untouchable status in our politics. National governments dare not touch it and there is no longer much reason to do so. Rescinding it would not restore the alliance. The US would need to see bipartisan support here for such a move and that may take another generation.

In the meantime, the US will keep New Zealand at a distance to keep faith with its many allies. They are given seats at the table for strategic discussions, New Zealand may be an observer at best. Their military have regular joint exercises, ours are getting a few more invitations as the years go on.

The Wellington Declaration spoke of more "political-military discussions", whatever they might be. Mrs Clinton noted that the US has relaxed the 25-year-old ban on military exercises with New Zealand but she could not offer much more.

Nevertheless she considers the relationship "more productive now than it has been for 25 years". The Afghanistan engagement is probably the main reason for that. New Zealanders support for that effort appears more steadfast than that of some other contributing countries.

The visit of Mrs Clinton has been refreshing for the presence on each side of politicians unencumbered by the past. Mrs Clinton does not bear the stain of the Iraq invasion that disillusioned many of America's usual allies. On the New Zealand side, John Key is of a different political generation to Helen Clark and other instigators of the anti-nuclear stance.

Attitudes born in the Vietnam era have largely passed through the political system and with visits such as Mrs Clinton has made, the relationship should continue to improve, despite a 25-year-old elephant in the room.