The relationship between New Zealand and the Cook Islands has worsened significantly this week, report New Zealand media outlets.
A statement from Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ office said the Cook Islands had failed to share, which it is required to do as a realm country, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership “and other agreements” which Prime Minister Mark Brown is about to sign with China.
A spokesperson for Peters said New Zealand had repeatedly asked for more consultation, which is required under the 2001 Joint Centenary Declaration between New Zealand and the Cook Islands.
“We therefore view the Cook Islands as having failed to properly consult New Zealand with respect to any agreements it plans to sign this coming week in China.
“This lack of consultation is a matter of significant concern to the New Zealand Government.”
Last week, Peters told 1News there was a lack of transparency over the deal: “No clarity at all that’s what this means, and that is outside of our past agreements in terms of such discussions2
In an address to the nation on Sunday night, Prime Minister Brown, who is en route to Beijing, said the Cook Islands values its relationship with New Zealand and “expect the same respect in return”.
“Disagreements, though difficult, are an inevitable part of international relations, but they should never define the entirety of our engagement”.
Brown said New Zealand had signed its own agreement with China, and there was no reason why the Cook Islands can’t.
“As a developed country now, we are required to engage with our development partners on an equal
footing,” he said.
However, under the free association agreement with New Zealand, which gives all Cook Islanders the right to a New Zealand passport, that is not the case.
Under the constitutional agreement between the two countries, the nations must cooperate and consult on any issues of defence and security and advise each other of any risks to either state.
New Zealand believes this has not been done, therefore breaching that agreement.
The statement from the Foreign Minister’s office says Prime Minister Brown had said, in earlier correspondence, that the Cook Islands respected its mutual security obligations, and he had directed his officials to meet with New Zealand counterparts to consider how New Zealand concerns could be
addressed in a mutually satisfactory way.
“As of Sunday afternoon, with Prime Minister Brown having left the Cook Islands for China, no reply to the Deputy Prime Minister’s further request for fulsome consultation has been received. The time has now passed”.
There was no word yet on what repercussions there will be for the breach in the 2001 Joint Centenary
Declaration.
Mark Brown on China deal: ‘No need for New Zealand to sit in the room with us’
The Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says New Zealand is asking for too much oversight over its deal with China, which is expected to be penned in Beijing next week.
Brown told RNZ Pacific the Cook Islands-New Zealand relationship was reciprocal.
“They certainly did not consult with us when they signed their comprehensive partnership agreement [with China] and we would not expect them to consult with us,” he said.
“There is no need for New Zealand to sit in the room with us while we are going through our comprehensive agreement with China.
“We have advised them on the matter, but as far as being consulted and to the level of detail that they were requiring, I think that’s not a requirement.”
Brown is going to China from 10 – 14 February to sign the “Joint Action Plan for a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”.
The Cook Islands operates in free association with New Zealand. It means the island nation conducts its own affairs, but Aotearoa needs to assist when it comes to foreign affairs, disasters, and defence.
New Zealand is asking for more consultation over what is in the China deal.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters said neither New Zealand nor the Cook Island people knew what was in the agreement.
“The reality is we’ve been not told what the nature of the arrangements that they seek in Beijing might be,” he told Morning Report.
In 2023, China and Solomon Islands signed a deal on police cooperation as part of an upgrade of their
relations to a “comprehensive strategic partnership”.
Brown said he had assured New Zealand “over and over” that there would be no impact on the countries
relationship and “no surprises” especially on security aspects.
“But the contents of this agreement is something that our team are working on with our Chinese
counterparts, and it is something that we will announce and provide once it is signed off.”
He said it was similar to an agreement New Zealand signed with China in 2014.
Brown said the agreement was looking for areas of cooperation, with deep sea mining research being one
area.
However, he said the immediate area that the Cook Islands wanted help with was a new inter-island vessel to replace the existing ageing ship.
Brown has backed down from his controversial passport proposal after facing pressure from New Zealand.
He said the country “would essentially punish any Cook Islander that would seek a Cook Islands passport” by passing new legislation that would not allow them to also hold a New Zealand passport.
“To me that is a something that we cannot engage in for the security of our Cook Islands people.
“Whether that is seen as overstepping or not, that is a position that New Zealand has taken.”
A spokesperson for Peters said the two nations did “not see eye to eye” on a number of issues.
However, Brown said he always felt the relationship was very good.
“We can agree to disagree in certain areas and as mature nation states do, they do have points of
disagreement, but it doesn’t mean that the relationship has in any way broken down.”
On Christmas Day, a Cook Islands-flagged vessel carrying Russian oil was seized by Finnish authorities. It is suspected to be part of Russia’s shadow fleet and cutting underwater power cables in the Baltic Sea near Finland.
Peters’ spokesperson said the Cook Islands shipping registry was an area of disagreement between the two countries.
Brown said the government was working with Maritime Cook Islands and were committed with aligning with international sanctions against Russia.
When asked how he could be aligned with sanctions when the Cook Islands flagged the tanker Eagle S,
Brown said it was still under investigation.
“We will wait for the outcomes of that investigation, and if it means the amendments and changes, which I expect it will, to how the ship’s registry operates then we will certainly look to make those amendments and those changes,” he said.
Cook Islands’ diplomatic snub to NZ will be noticed – commentator
A snub by the Cook Islands prime minister will be watched by any nations keen to see how deep New Zealand’s partnerships in the region really are, an expert on geopolitics in the Pacific says.
The Foreign Minister’s office says Mark Brown headed to Beijing on Sunday without “properly consulting” New Zealand about agreements he plans to sign with China.
The Cook Islands operates in free association with New Zealand. It means the island nation conducts its own affairs, but Aotearoa needs to assist when it comes to foreign affairs, disasters, and defence.
New Zealand is asking for more consultation over what is in the China deal.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters said neither New Zealand nor the Cook Island people knew what was in the agreement.
“The reality is we’ve been not told what the nature of the arrangements that they seek in Beijing might be,” he told Morning Report on Friday.
Massey University’s Dr Anna Powles said the relationship was “incredibly important to New Zealand, and
incredibly important to get right”.
“It will be seen as a barometer in the region for how it engages with other Pacific Forum country members.”
There had always been natural tensions between Aotearoa and the Cook Islands over free association
independence, but Brown’s tactics would be “raising deep concerns in Wellington”, Powles said.
“This is obviously a significant agreement, it doesn’t necessarily have the support of the Cook Islands people, and it speaks to some friction within the relationship between New Zealand the Cook Islands.”
On Sunday, a spokesperson from the Foreign Minister’s office said the lack of consultation in particular was “a matter of significant concern to the New Zealand government”.
“We look forward to continuing discussions with the government of the Cooks Islands on this important
matter in the coming days and weeks.
The spokesperson also said New Zealand deeply values its relationship with the government and people of the Cook Islands.
“Cook Islanders are treasured members of the New Zealand family. The Deputy Prime Minister will continue to defend and protect the interests of Cook Islanders, in the context of New Zealand protecting the security and prosperity of all New Zealand citizens and of the Realm of New Zealand, he said.
No debt in China deal: Cook Islands PM Brown
The comprehensive deal the Cook Islands will sign with China will not involve any borrowing, Prime Minister Mark Brown has confirmed.
In an interview with Cook Islands News, PM Mark Brown, who left Friday with his delegation for a state visit to China, said the deal will focus on key areas of development such as shipping, maritime, agriculture and seabed minerals.
Brown said that once the two countries have signed the Joint Action Plan for a Comprehensive Strategic
Partnership, they will announce it to the public.
His comments come after concerns were raised by New Zealand, with which the Cook Islands shares a
special constitutional relationship, and the general public regarding the “secrecy” of the deal.
When asked if the China deal will include loans, the Prime Minister responded “no”.
Of the estimated $253.8 million (US$142 million) (gross) public debt, the China-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) provided $28.4m (US$16 million), representing 11 percent of total borrowings, followed by the EXIM Bank of China with $18.2m (US$10.8 million) or seven percent.
In shipping, Brown said that they would be discussing the procurement of a vessel to strengthen the
country’s domestic shipping.
“That’s something I’ve been working on since last year and the details of that will come out when we visit the companies that will be involved,” Brown said.
“There are areas of agriculture that we’ll be addressing and maritime, in terms of aquaculture and fisheries.” Brown said the state visit would be a “jam-packed four or five days” of engagement, lasting until Friday.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to meet with the Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
When asked if he would have a chance to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brown replied “we’ll see if that transpires as well”.
PM Brown’s delegation will include his wife, Daphne, Tukaka Ama, Associate Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration and Finance and Economic Management, his chief of staff Karopaerangi Ngatoko, alongside senior officials from Foreign Affairs and MFEM.
“They (China) will cover my costs and some officials internally through China. I’m not sure if they’re covering the whole team’s costs but there is an allocation they’ll cover,” Brown said.
Meanwhile at the Waitangi Day celebration on Thursday hosted by the NZ High Commission, Prime Minister Brown said he understood that people want to be fully informed about the direction of the country and acknowledged those concerns.
“Our government is committed to open and honest dialogue, because transparency is not just an
expectation; it is a fundamental principle of good governance,” Brown said.
“Any agreements we enter, whether with New Zealand, China, or any other partner, will always be made
with the best interests of the Cook Islands at heart. And we will ensure that our people remain informed every step of the way,” PM Brown said.
