Post by fyl on Jun 20, 2012 9:24:54 GMT 12
From Stuff this a.m.
www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7133939/Closer-military-ties-between-US-NZ
And lets seal the deal with a package of F/A-18s....
Closer military ties between US, NZ
New Zealand and the United States have signed a sweeping agreement committing both countries to a step-up in military co-operation.
The agreement was signed in Washington this morning between Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman and US Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta.
Before the signing, sources said the agreement was non-binding, and that it did not threaten the independent foreign policy stance adopted by New Zealand in the 1980s when it was suspended from the formal Anzus military alliance between New Zealand, Australia and the United States.
The defence co-operation agreement signals a new era of regular high-level meetings both at ministerial and officials level, and also spells out greater co-operation in the Pacific in areas including maritime security, counter-terrorism, anti-piracy, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and United Nations and mutinational peacekeeping and "peace support" initiatives.
It follows the signing of the Wellington declaration between New Zealand and the US in 2010 signalling a new era in the relationship after a 25-year standoff over New Zealand's nuclear-free stance.
Since that declaration, a US freeze on training and exercises has been dropped, culminating in exercises by US Marines on New Zealand soil for the first time in decades.
Closer ties between New Zealand and the US coincide with greater US involvement in the Asia-Pacific region. Earlier this month Panetta spelt out a new strategy to "pivot" America's focus toward Asia-Pacific.
www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7133939/Closer-military-ties-between-US-NZ
And lets seal the deal with a package of F/A-18s....
Closer military ties between US, NZ
New Zealand and the United States have signed a sweeping agreement committing both countries to a step-up in military co-operation.
The agreement was signed in Washington this morning between Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman and US Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta.
Before the signing, sources said the agreement was non-binding, and that it did not threaten the independent foreign policy stance adopted by New Zealand in the 1980s when it was suspended from the formal Anzus military alliance between New Zealand, Australia and the United States.
The defence co-operation agreement signals a new era of regular high-level meetings both at ministerial and officials level, and also spells out greater co-operation in the Pacific in areas including maritime security, counter-terrorism, anti-piracy, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and United Nations and mutinational peacekeeping and "peace support" initiatives.
It follows the signing of the Wellington declaration between New Zealand and the US in 2010 signalling a new era in the relationship after a 25-year standoff over New Zealand's nuclear-free stance.
Since that declaration, a US freeze on training and exercises has been dropped, culminating in exercises by US Marines on New Zealand soil for the first time in decades.
Closer ties between New Zealand and the US coincide with greater US involvement in the Asia-Pacific region. Earlier this month Panetta spelt out a new strategy to "pivot" America's focus toward Asia-Pacific.
