US 'has welcome mat out' for Peters

Winston Peters

Foreign Minister Winston Peters' meeting with United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is a sign the welcome mat is out for New Zealand, Prime Minister Helen Clark said yesterday.

Mr Peters left for Washington yesterday and will meet Dr Rice for an hour on Thursday.

He is also scheduled to meet National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley and Republican senator John McCain, a likely 2008 presidential candidate.

When Mr Peters became Foreign Minister he said improving relations with the US was a high priority.

New Zealand's relationship with the world's only superpower was reduced from ally to one of a good friend after the country's anti-nuclear stance in the 1980s.

Helen Clark said that Mr Peters' meeting with one of the world's busiest women showed the "welcome mat was being put out".

The Prime Minister said the meetings were an indication the US intended to continue a "very, very, very good relationship" with New Zealand, echoing Dr Rice's predecessor Colin Powell's observation that the two countries were "very, very, very good friends".

The Middle East, New Zealand's role in the Pacific and East Timor were all likely to be discussed, Helen Clark said.

New Zealand's desire to sell its mothballed Skyhawk fighter planes to a US company might also be raised.

Approval from the US Government for the sale was a condition of the original sale to New Zealand.

The unusually long delay in announcing details of the trip led to accusations from Opposition MPs that Mr Peters was "sneaking off" in a way that demeaned himself and his mission.

Helen Clark defended Mr Peters yesterday saying Dr Rice's schedule could always change at very short notice which would have left Mr Peters open to claims he had been snubbed.

Dr Rice is the US's top international trouble-shooter, and is dealing with problems in the Middle East, North Korea and elsewhere.

- NZPA