31 August 2001 Media Statement

NZ seeks international solution to Tampa crisis

Prime Minister Helen Clark confirmed today that Australia yesterday asked whether New Zealand was prepared to be part of the resolution of the crisis caused by the asylum seekers aboard the Norwegian vessel, the Tampa.

The Australian Foreign Minister yesterday spoke to the New Zealand High Commissioner in Canberra to see whether New Zealand was prepared to assist in resolving the crisis.

Helen Clark also confirmed that overnight the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Geneva had approached New Zealand's Permanent Mission in Geneva to see if New Zealand was prepared to be part of an international solution.

The Prime Minister said that the government welcomed the internationalisation of the problem.

"New Zealand is examining whether it can be part of an international solution.

"I stress that New Zealand wants to ensure that there is the maximum discouragement of the practice of smuggling and trafficking people.

"It is urgent that Australia, Indonesia and international organisations reach an agreement about how to deal with intending asylum seekers who reach Indonesia," Helen Clark said.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>