PM denies apology "degrading"

Russel Norman is grabbed by members of Chinese vice-president's entourage. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Prime Minister John Key has rejected accusations he made a "degrading" apology to a Chinese delegation for the scuffle outside Parliament on Friday involving Green Party co-leader Russel Norman.

Dr Norman was waving a Tibetan flag when Chinese vice-president Xi Jinping arrived, and members of the Chinese delegation tried to put an umbrella over him to hide it.

Dr Norman was pushed and the flag was pulled from his hands. He managed to retrieve it, and loudly told the Chinese delegation they could not suppress freedom of speech in New Zealand.

Mr Key called a senior member of the delegation and apologised for the incident, which provoked Dr Norman to accuse him today of "degrading" behaviour and demand that the prime minister stand up for free speech and democracy.

"Does John Key consider that holding a Tibetan flag exceeds the boundaries of freedom of speech?" Dr Norman asked.

Mr Key told NZPA the issue had nothing to do with freedom of speech.

"The apology was in relation to our failure to provide proper security for the vice-president when he entered and exited Parliament," Mr Key said from South Africa where he watched the All Whites draw their World Cup match against Italy.

"The Chinese protection agency would have had no clue that Russel Norman was a Member of Parliament.

"All they would have seen was someone charging at the vice-president with a Tibetan flag. They would not have had an inkling what could have happened next,

"We can't put dignatories, or in fact those protection agencies, in that position."

Mr Key said he was going to take the matter up with the Diplomatic Protection Squad, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Parliament's Speaker when he returned.

"I think it's unacceptable that a dignatory of that level can't enter the building without their integrity being compromised," he said.

"That's true not just for a visiting dignatory from China. It is also true for anyone of that level who we invite as a guest to New Zealand - it wouldn't matter whether it was the Secretary of State of the United States, or the President of the United States."

Mr Key also denied that free speech was not being upheld in New Zealand.

He said members of the Chinese Falun Gong movement had protested continuously outside Vice-President Xi's hotel in Auckland.

"We will continue to fight for the rights of New Zealanders to express their views on any issue," Mr Key said.

Dr Norman said in his statement today Mr Key should tell the public whether human rights were raised during discussions between the two governments.

A spokesman for Mr Key told NZPA the issue was raised.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has criticised Dr Norman for staging the protest.

He called it "massively disappointing" and said it had been calculated to offend.

Dr Norman complained to the police after the incident but they said there was insufficient evidence to substantiate an allegation of assault.

He has also complained to Parliament's Speaker, Lockwood Smith, asking for assurances that in future New Zealand security services will control Parliament's grounds during official visits.

- NZPA