New Zealand remains on course for a nuclear-free future and will not take part in the AUKUS military partnership between Australia, Britain and the United States. This was announced by Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.
As the “Parliamentary Newspaper” wrote, the creation of such a format of cooperation between the states became known in September 2021.
Hipkins was elected the new leader of the ruling Labor Party of New Zealand on January 22, 2023, on January 25 he headed the Cabinet of the country, reported The New Zealand Herald.
According to the politician, after the political reshuffle, the country will not change its earlier chosen political course. “Our foreign policy has not changed after the change of government and prime minister. Australia, the US and Britain are important security partners for New Zealand, but our nuclear-free zone policy will remain unchanged,” TASS quoted him as saying.
Earlier, Parlamentskaya Gazeta reported that Russia had permanently banned 31 New Zealand government officials and public figures from entering the country, including the civil husband of former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out that the restrictions were imposed in response to another round of sanctions by the New Zealand government against individuals and entities from Russia.
source: deepl
