KEY POINTS:
Foreign Minister Winston Peters' tempestuous relationship with the New Zealand media went nuclear yesterday, as he rounded on journalists covering his visit to the United States.
Mr Peters took offence at questions being asked before his meeting with leading Republican politician Senator John McCain.
As the senator answered a question Mr Peters interrupted to call a halt to proceedings.
>> Right click to download audio of Winston Peters and journalist Barry Soper arguing
As a result of the row, Mr Peters had said he would not hold a press conference to discuss a meeting this morning with United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
But he later reversed that position and spoke to reporters. He said Dr Rice raised New Zealand's nuclear-ban and said it was time for the relationship between the two countries to move on.
Before yesterday's meeting with Senator McCain, journalists covering Mr Peters' visit had been told by the Senator's staff and New Zealand Embassy staff that reporters could ask questions.
But Mr Peters' chief of staff, Graham Harding, said the Foreign Minister had expected questions would be asked afterwards.
Before being cut short, Senator McCain spoke positively about the possibility of a free-trade deal with New Zealand.
As Senator McCain spoke, Mr Peters intervened, saying journalists following his visit had asked more questions than had been agreed.
"I want to call a halt to this press conference because we've got discussions and it was two questions they asked for," Mr Peters said.
'Extraordinary'
TVNZ's political editor, Guyon Espiner, said Mr Peters' "extraordinary" performance was made stranger still by the fact that the opportunity to ask questions had been arranged by Senator McCain's staff.
"Those officials were just as bemused as we were when Winston Peters pulled the plug," Espiner said.
In New Zealand, Prime Minister Helen Clark's staff tried to downplay the incident as a simple mix-up, and Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen dismissed it as a case of hurt feelings on behalf of two or three reporters.
But in the US, Mr Peters issued a press release which accused reporters of trying to hijack the meeting.
"Frankly it was the most embarrassing, arrogant and insulting behaviour I have ever seen," he said.
"Afterwards, Senator McCain apologised for the intrusion, but I said it was me who must apologise because they were New Zealand media."
Mr Peters singled out veteran reporter Barry Soper.
"I hear radio journalist Barry Soper has described my actions in telling them to stop the questions as the worst behaviour he has seen in 25 years of political reporting," Mr Peters said.
"Well he is right, but it was his behaviour that was the problem. Since when did radio reporters take photographs? He didn't even need to come in to the meeting.
"Any professional, self-respecting journalist would have waited until the press conference afterwards to ask questions."
Helen Clark would not comment on the McCain meeting, and took a back route to Parliament's debating chamber, avoiding reporters.
National leader Don Brash said it was a great pity Mr Peters felt unable to put aside his dispute with New Zealand journalists.
"Mr Peters claimed when he became Minister of Foreign Affairs that his primary objective was improving the relationship with the United States.
"Senator McCain has been a friend of New Zealand in the US, and I think it's therefore a great pity that Mr Peters did apparently insult him in that way."
- Additional reporting NZPA, NEWSTALK ZB
