Prebble Richard: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Prebble Richard: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:606;Page:3353] 
12.  
Hon RICHARD PREBBLE (Leader—ACT NZ) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: Has the United States asked New Zealand for military assistance in enforcing existing United Nations Security Council resolutions for Iraq to disarm; if so what is New Zealand’s response? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK (Prime Minister) 
: 
 No. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: Does the Prime Minister not agree that the world is a safer place when the United States is prepared to take action against rogue States like Iraq; if so why is New Zealand not offering assistance to America as is Australia and the United Kingdom our traditional allies? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: The world is a safer place when multilateral processes are followed and the international rule of law upheld. 
Hon Bill English 
: Can the Prime Minister tell us whether the answers she has given today mean that the New Zealand Government now no longer supports a second resolution in the UN on the Iraq situation? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: Were force to be used then for the New Zealand Government to support that force it would have to be sanctioned by a second resolution. 
Hon Bill English 
: Answer the question. 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: However—if the member is a little patient—the Government does not support seeking a resolution to use force at this time because the diplomatic process has not been exhausted. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: In the event that the United Nations Security Council does pass a resolution authorising the use of force against Iraq would the Prime Minister expect the New Zealand Government to receive an approach from the UN Secretary-General’s office or the United States regarding any possible New Zealand participation? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: We are probably getting into hypothetical territory here. I think it is clear that if in the next few days—and I think it unlikely—the UN Security Council were to mandate the use of force then a US-led coalition would probably be undertaking that force. To any lay observer it is clear that that coalition is already well established and looks ready to go. At that point I think the UN’s efforts would be very much focused on the end stage of the conflict where clearly there would be major and catastrophic human needs to be met. 
Keith Locke 
: If the United States does unilaterally attack Iraq will the Government withdraw our frigate from the Persian Gulf as an anti-war protest given that one of the tasks of that frigate is to escort US military ships through the Straits of Hormuz; if not why not? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: The New Zealand frigate is not in the Persian Gulf. The New Zealand frigate is in the Gulf of Oman on a quite separate operation. 
Ron Mark 
: With reference to the Prime Minister’s last answer noting the Government‘s indication that it does not believe that New Zealand should be involved in a combat role or in any military action against Iraq how does she reconcile the fact that having a frigate and an Orion deployed in the Gulf of Oman frees up other nations’ combat elements to be used in such an invasion and that being the case why does she not just make a commitment and go in boots and all with everybody else? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: Both the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade and I have been at pains for many months to point out the principled basis on which New Zealand evaluates whether it contributes to international operations. The most basic principle is that it is a multilateral process according to the international rule of law and that the use of force needs to be sanctioned by the Security Council. 
Keith Locke 
: I seek leave to table a press release from the Prime Minister of 11 November 2002 that points out that one of the tasks of our frigates is escorting coalition vessels through the Straits of Hormuz which is at the south end of the Persian Gulf. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.