Thaw with US will take time, says Goff

New Zealand will not see immediate benefits in its trade and defence relationships with the United States, the Cabinet Minister responsible for those areas warns.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters last week held talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

The message coming from the meeting, that the US wanted to move its relationship with New Zealand forward, was greeted with enthusiasm by Prime Minister Helen Clark, who called it a very important development.

But Trade and Defence Minister Phil Goff said New Zealand would have to wait in line to negotiate a long-awaited free-trade agreement and this country's anti-nuclear policy remained a stumbling block to possible joint defence exercises.

Although the meeting had been significant and had had positive outcomes for New Zealand, Mr Goff said it would take time before steps forward were taken in the trade and defence relationships between the two countries.

"I think we will get the free-trade agreement, but I think we've got to look at it being a little way out.

"In terms of military exercises, while I've had very amicable meetings with [US Defence Secretary] Donald Rumsfeld and we're working closely with the Americans on proliferation and security issues and in Afghanistan, the United States has not changed its policy on the nuclear issue at this point.

"They have not indicated that they are going to lift the presidential directive [banning training with New Zealand forces], but time will help with that," Mr Goff said.

The once frosty relationship between New Zealand and the United States had thawed considerably in recent years, with meetings such as that between Mr Peters and Dr Rice being a good example of that.