Source: Radio New Zealand
Prime Minister Chirstopher Luxon. RNZ / Calvin Samuel
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will not join US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.
In a brief statement on Friday morning, Luxon confirmed the government would not accept the invitation to join the board in its “current form”, after considering the offer.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters posted a longer message on social media where he said a number of states had already stepped up to the board and New Zealand would not add significant additional value.
He said there was a role for the board in Gaza, but it was essential that its work was consistent with the United Nations charter.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said Luxon was being “too polite” about the invitation and “he should show some leadership”.
“Not joining the Board of Peace is absolutely the right thing to do, it’s preposterous Christopher Luxon would even consider it.
“The idea that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin can sit around a table and decide on one nation’s peace while they wage their own wars is absurd.”
Hipkins earlier condemned the invite, labelling the government’s refusal to rule out joining the board an “absolute disgrace”.
A draft charter for the organisation, which would be chaired by Trump, was sent to a number of world leaders – including Canada’s Mark Carney, Australia’s Anthony Albanese, Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman and Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
Greens-co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick had written to the Prime Minister on Monday, urging Luxon to “publicly and unequivocally reject this invitation”.
The board’s creation comes shortly after the announcement of a 15-member Palestinian technocratic committee, charged with managing the day-to-day governance of post-war Gaza.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
