On September 15 2021, the Australian government formalized that the country became a member of a trilateral security pact along with the United States and the United Kingdom called AUKUS. In this case, Australia was given permission to build or have nuclear-powered submarines which were then touted to be a new threat to its neighbors. Australia's closest country is New Zealand.
Looking back, New Zealand was a country that used to be on good terms with the United States and Australia in trilateral defense relations in the Pacific region in the ANZUZ security pact formed in 1951 to protect the Pacific region from the influence of communism. However, relations between the three countries did not last long in the treaty because New Zealand did not agree with the United States which wanted to use nuclear weapons and He decided to leave ANZUZ in the 1980s.
New Zealand is a country that loves peace, this is evidenced by New Zealand's participation in the signing and ratification of international treaties and conventions aimed at limiting The production, proliferation, and use of conventional weapons and weapons of mass destruction ,one of which is Nuclear. In this case, nuclear is the main focus of New Zealand in the issue of abolition of weapons in its country and internationally. this was one of the reasons why New Zealand decided to end its relationship with the ANZUZ pact at that time.
With the formation of a new pact, AUKUS, and Australia's accession to it, it has an impact on New Zealand by creating a security dilemma over allowing Australia to build submarines nuclear-powered. Security dilemma is an attitude possessed by the state when faced with a situation that according to the state threatens its national security. Examples include foreign decision-making, forming alliances and strengthening the country’s military that require threatened countries to take similar measures in order to balance his strength. But is AUKUS really a new threat to New Zealand?
How has New Zealand responded to AUKUS?
In fact, New Zealand does not consider the presence of AUKUS a security threat because the United States actually offers New Zealand to be part of AUKUS but in a non-European field. nuclear or called pillar II. New Zealand government defence minister Andrew Little confirmed he would discuss the U.S. offer as an opportunity. Pillar II is more inclined to complete security defense with advanced military technology and artificial intelligence so there is no reason for New Zealand to reject the offer pillar II is different from pillar I which discusses more about nuclear weapons for defense equipment.
After all, the United States will not offer New Zealand a position on Pillar I because the country has an anti-nuclear policy and surely New Zealand will refuse the invitation.
Of course, the consideration of the New Zealand government has reaped various reactions to divide the community into two parts, the right position that supports the joining of the New Zealand government with pillar II of AUKUS because it is felt that it will receive greater benefits in the field of security and defense of the country and a left position that refuses because it will worsen the situation and add to The risk of diplomacy in New Zealand due to having relations with AUKUS who had plans to develop nuclear weapons.
However, the government assured the public that the establishment of a cooperative military defence relationship with AUKUS would not change New Zealand's status to pro-nuclear.
"We currently have the technology to defend, but over time, we have to make sure that our technology allows us to defend. With us having close ties with alliances or partners that have nuclear-powered submarines, it doesn't change anything about our country's nuclear-free status," said Andrew Little, New Zealand's defence minister.
Prime Minister New Zealand still prohibits the passage of nuclear-powered submarines around New Zealand's territorial sea, which is within 12 miles of maritime boundaries.