Helen Clark must distance NZ from Matt Robson's anti-American tirade

Friday 25 Feb 2005

Rodney Hide - Press Releases - Foreign Affairs

ACT Leader Rodney Hide today said Prime Minister Helen Clark must distance herself and New Zealand from her former Minister Matt Robson's attack on the United States.

Mr Hide's comments follow Matt Robson accusing the United States of waging a terrorist war on Cuba.

"Helen Clark must distance herself and our government from Matt Robson's outrageous claim. She relies on his vote to maintain parliamentary support for her government. He's also her former Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs.

"Helen Clark calls the United States our `very very good friends'. Well, she can help show that she means it by hauling Mr Robson over the coals for his anti-American tirade. She needs to make it plain that his view is not that of the New Zealand government.

"Matt Robson's attack is contained in an interview on the web-based news service scoop.co.nz. Robson said: "The war on terror isn't an abstract thing for the Cuban people. They've already got a terrorist war waged against them - and it comes from Washington. This is a fact it is not disputable."

"This is an unbelievable and unprecedented attack from a New Zealand Member of Parliament on the United States. For the sake our relationship with the US, I call on Helen Clark to make it plain that she doesn't accept Hon Matt Robson's claims," said Mr Hide.

ENDS

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