Winston Peters: Foreign Minister on the agreement between the Cook Islands and China

The Foreign Minister's calling for a 'reset' of the relationship between New Zealand and the Cook Islands. 

New Zealand claims Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown is not sharing all the documents on his recent agreement signed with China. 

Some details have been released, including working together on seabed mining, and looking at setting up embassies. 

Winston Peters told Mike Hosking the leadership of the Cook Islands needs to tell people what's in the agreement. 

He wants to trust them, but also verify what's in the agreement. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Looks like the reset with the Cooks is on. Our
Foreign minister was speaking last night to the Pacific Island
Political Science Association. He's looking to restate the parameters of
the current agreement. Winston Peter's, well, that's very good morning
to you.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Good morning.

Speaker 1 (00:11):
You only real detail of what Brown signed and brought
back to the Cooks the other day?

Speaker 2 (00:17):
Well, no, I don't have any detail at all because
he released an over an arching document. But there were
other agreements that they have entered and that's not been
shown to either New Zealand or the Cook Island people.

Speaker 1 (00:29):
There's something wrong. What's this problem? I mean, forget us
for a moment, but the Cook Island people. Some guy
goes off to China, brings it back and says, I'll
let you know when I'll let you know. I mean,
what's that about.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
Well, I suppose you and I are asking the same question.
But you know, if I go back to nineteen seventy three,
a long long time ago, Norman Kirk had that problem,
and then in nine eighty six David Longe had that problem,
and in two thousand and one Helen Clark had that problem.
She sorted out with then prior Minister Doctor Mote of
the Cook Islands, and that was we've been working on

(01:01):
relying upon and the very deal and raceship we're relying upon.
And all we are saying is that's the deal we
have now. We want to be respected because we're responsible
to a group of people who are very important to
this country and any democracy. They're called the digial taxpayers.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
Exactly China says it. Don't worry about it. It's all complementary.
Everything's good. Do you believe them?

Speaker 2 (01:24):
Well, you know there's a famous business sort of principle.
It's called trust but verify. Yeah, I trust everybody, but
I check it out and make sure that what I'm
hearing is correct and right, and that I can account
to the Parliament of Issil if a mass question or
the people of Mozil with a mass questions.

Speaker 1 (01:40):
I've read something the other day the Australians have a
tightest sort of agreement with us and with their issues
with Tabalu, they than the Solomons. They tightened up the agreement.
In other words, it's a more explicit agreement. Are we
going to need to go down that track.

Speaker 2 (01:55):
Work? We shouldn't have to, you know, it's a thing
called respect. We have done enormous things for the realm countries.
We have been enormously responsible. We've made mistakes over the years.
We always do make mistakes, and that's the way life is,
and that's the way there are, say broadcasting in politics says,
but we've never stopped trying. And I'm not going to
think that this will treat this relationship as anything about

(02:17):
some of that New Zealand people can be enormously proud
about it. So yes, what I'm really saying to the
cook Ar leadership is you have to tell your people
because any change you might make, I'm responsible constitutionally to
ask your people first. They are in the end. I
know they're only voters, but they are the masters of
this business.

Speaker 1 (02:37):
I get what you're saying. Is it entirely possible that
if you can iron this out with Brown, what they've
signed is benign. In other words, it's not the end
of the world.

Speaker 2 (02:47):
Well, you know, you could be right, but we should
have known beforehand, because that's the special relationship we have.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
No God, Look, I don't disagree with you. By the way,
the Debbie Packer, did you see what you said on
the news about her arrival in the cock Islands the
other day.

Speaker 2 (03:04):
Mister Hoskins, I'm asted in the as thund as you were.
Because we're sitting in Parliament, we're in the first few
weeks and she's on holiday. This is a person on
two and six thousand dollars a year, so to speak.
And I can tell you this. I've traveled extensively in
twenty twenty four, but I spent more time in Parliament
over his one hundred and twelve days. I spend more

(03:25):
time in Parliament all the Maray Party members all put together.
Oh now that's a disgrace. Yes, Marrat people out there,
we're working seventy eighty hours a day a week and
working sometimes two or three jobs. I got to ask themselves,
are we being taking for a ride here?

Speaker 1 (03:40):
When she arrived and she said she knew nothing of
the passport deal and she knew nothing of the China trip.
How do you explain that a person's inner Parliament and
knows nothing about her country or region far less of
the world. How does that happen? And are we being
well served when you're that naive.

Speaker 2 (03:59):
Well coment of incredulity and not a stranger on your program?
But I can tell you there. What's the most remarkable
thing I thought was has she been numbed out or
she been in Nocoma for the last three weeks?

Speaker 1 (04:11):
What do you do? I don't know. Anyway, that's democracy.
As you say, nice to talk to you appreciate it.
Winston Peter's the Foreign Minister.

Speaker 2 (04:17):
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