9. Question No. 9—Foreign AffairsHon GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam) to the Minister of Foreign AffairsQuestion No. 9—Foreign Affairs9. Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: When was the last time he met with the Russian Ambassador to New Zealand and what was discussed?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Minister of Foreign Affairs): I want to thank the member for his second question in eight months and to say: at Russia's National Day reception in Wellington on 11 June 2019 where I congratulated the ambassador on Russia's National Day and wished him well. I can confirm of course that I met the Russian Foreign Minister only last week in Japan at the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting where the issue of unexploded ordinance was not raised with me by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Why has he not told the Russians of the Government's displeasure over the allegations against the New Zealand Defence Force?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Because the Defence Force has put out its explanation. It debunks the statement in the first place and we actually believe our Defence Force because for the first time in a long time they've got the resources to do the job that we require them to do. And when it comes to unexploded ordinances we are putting the money in as well. Of course in the whole time he was there the number of communications he had with the Russians on this matter was zero.Hon Gerry Brownlee: If as he told the House yesterday the Russian Government was aware of the New Zealand Government's position on clearing the range in question on 5 November does he think the statement made by the Russian apparatchik accusing the New Zealand Defence Force of murdering seven children at a much later date was sanctioned by the Russian Foreign Ministry?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Could I just say that when I saw Sergey Lavrov if that was his intention he would have raised it with me. Unlike that member I happen to know some of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and for a long long time and I am open and candid with them where New Zealand stands. You see we don't intend to run though our foreign affairs like an illegal casino and run it down within five weeks.Hon Gerry Brownlee: If the Russian ambassador is an avid watcher of question time and was hanging on his every word yesterday would it be fair to say the only rebuke he received for his Government's suggestion that the New Zealand Defence Force murdered seven children came from the Opposition and the only thing he would've heard from the Government was the soothing message Don't worry old friend."?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: With respect to that nonsensical question all I can say is it barely requires an answer. Many people have made complaints with respect where New Zealand is concerned. This is the Government that's having a full-scale investigation into matters with respect to that part of the world where we were engaged not the previous Government. We've been candid and frank enough to have this out with full-scale research. We've put $10 million aside with respect to unexploded ordinances. We've given the military the resources to do the job and my response to the Russians would be: please don't think that we don't remember who left so many unexploded ordinances when they left after 20 years in Afghanistan.Hon Gerry Brownlee: If that is the Minister's position then why has he been so willing to allow the scurrilous allegation against the New Zealand Defence Force to go unchallenged when he has personally met the Russian Foreign Minister and could have made a side comment at least saying that we did not appreciate their blaming us when as he's just pointed out—SPEAKER: Order! Order! That's four. Answer one of the four.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Can I just say first of all that in our meetings and discussions with Foreign Ministries and Foreign Ministers offshore they've always expressed delight that there's been a change in foreign Minister and I can't say much more than that in the interests of modesty. But from the Prime Minister down we have made those statements publicly already and just because he doesn't bother to read anything is no reason for him to portray his innocence in this Parliament.Hon Gerry Brownlee: So is it the Government's policy now that if a foreign country makes an unsubstantiated scurrilous allegation against the New Zealand Defence Force or for that matter any other Government agency we simply overlook it as being just a little glitch along the way to the friendly situation that we wish to have?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: One of the requirements of being a foreign Minister is having the perspicacity of mind to understand the nuances and changes that happen. We know this was an attack by that apparatchik from the foreign ministry of Russia on the UK. We just happened to be collateral damage and we're not going to respond to it because we made it very clear from the word go and from the Prime Minister as well—Hon Gerry Brownlee: Rubbish—weak as water.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: —what our position was. No we don't deal in your specialty of rubbish; we're dealing in the facts."