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HON MARK BURTON
Minister of Defence
THE GOVERNMENT'S DEFENCE POLICY FRAMEWORK - June 2000
The Key Elements of the Government's Approach to Defence
- New Zealand's defence and security policies will be based on New Zealand's own assessment of the security environment and on what action is considered to be in New Zealand's best interests.
- The primary reason for maintaining a defence force is to secure New Zealand against external threat, to protect our sovereign interests, including in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and to be able to take action to meet likely contingencies in our strategic area of interest.
- The Government recognises the need to work collaboratively with like-minded partners. In this context, there is no strategic partnership closer than that with Australia. New Zealand will continue to meet its obligations as a member of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA).
- New Zealand has special obligations to Pacific neighbours to assist in maintaining peace, preserving the environment, promoting good governance and helping achieve economic well being. We want a secure neighbourhood and we must work towards that. East Timor and Bougainville have demonstrated that New Zealand has a role to play in helping keep the peace in our region. The Government believes that this role extends beyond the provision of military support. It also includes assisting peace processes through diplomacy and mediation.
- The Government considers peace support operations are important for maintaining security and stability. New Zealand will make as full a contribution to such actions as is reasonably possible. We will continue to base our global engagement on active support for, and participation in, UN and appropriate multi-national peace support operations.
- The Government will continue to maintain a nuclear free New Zealand and protect the integrity of the nuclear free policy. It will also promote a nuclear free South Pacific.
- New Zealand will not engage in military co-operation or exercises with the armed forces of states which sanction the use of their armed forces to suppress human rights. This does not preclude New Zealand involvement in UN peace support or other appropriate multinational peace support operations where the armed forces of such countries are also involved.
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