by Martin Haffner Associate Editor<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Foreign Affairs Minister\u2019s office is aware of media reporting suggesting the Cook Islands has backed down from its controversial proposal to introduce its own passport, an initiative that threatened to shake the island state\u2019s relationship with New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It comes as Peters also expressed shock on Friday morning that the Cook Islands was planning to sign a major partnership with China without full consultation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Cook Islands is self-governing, but in free association with New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The New Zealand Government provides some financial support and assists with foreign affairs, defence and other matters. Cook Islanders are New Zealand citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are several issues currently in the relationship between the two governments, including the proposal for the Cook Islands to have a separate passport and the Cook Islands looking to engage more deeply with China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, it was reported by the Cook Islands News on Friday that the island\u2019s Prime Minister Mark Brown had taken the passport \u201coff the table\u201d after failing to convince New Zealand it wouldn\u2019t affect the two\u2019s constitutional relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the Cook Islands News, Brown halted progress on the passport after reports that applicants for a Cook Islands passport would be seen as renouncing their New Zealand one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNew Zealand has bared its teeth. New Zealand government has said that they are willing to go to change the law in New Zealand to punish Cook Islanders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo we\u2019re not going to have that. The passport has to be off. We\u2019ll look at other ways to be able to recognise our own nationality as Cook Islanders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters is aware of the media report. Photo \/Mark Mitchell<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters is aware of the media report. Photo \/Mark Mitchell<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A spokesperson for Peters on Friday told the Herald the office was aware of the report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe believe the free association relationship between New Zealand and the Cook Islands has brought great benefit to both countries over the past 60 years. Cook Islanders are integral members of the New Zealand family,\u201d a statement said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The spokesperson said a passport, citizenship and membership of the United Nations was \u201conly available to fully independent and sovereign countries\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Cook Islands cannot access these things while it remains in free association with New Zealand, but could do so if it chose to become fully independent from New Zealand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Any proposal to change that relationship, including with a separate passport, \u201cmust be decided by the Cook Islands people via a referendum\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSuch a referendum would allow the Cook Islands people to carefully weigh up whether they prefer the status quo, with their access to New Zealand citizenship and passports, or full independence from New Zealand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peters told Newstalk ZB on Friday the passport would be \u201cdramatic in terms of our constitutional arrangements\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Herald has contacted Brown\u2019s office for further comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The proposal of a separate passport was made to mark the Cook Islands\u2019 60th anniversary of self-governance this year. Brown said in a statement last year that he had \u201cno intention of altering the constitutional relationship\u201d with New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is intended as a means of identifying as a Cook Islander and recognition of our nation, our people and our heritage. This initiative does not replace the New Zealand passport or citizenship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Blindsided\u2019 by China move
The reported comments from Brown come as New Zealand also expresses concern about the Cook Islands\u2019 engagement with China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brown will this month visit the Asian superpower, during which he and his delegation will \u201cmeet with key Chinese government representatives to discuss current and future areas of co-operation\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA Joint Action Plan for Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will be agreed upon, serving as a framework for engagement and a roadmap for collaboration in the years ahead,\u201d a Cook Islands government statement said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, Peters told Newstalk ZB on Friday morning the China visit came \u201cout of left field\u201d and had \u201cblindsided both the Cook Islands people and ourselves\u201d. He said New Zealand had asked for information for months but it hadn\u2019t been shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI can assure you that the NZ Government has done its best to find out what\u2019s going on, and to say this has been discussed with us is absurdly not true.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He didn\u2019t agree with a reported comment from Brown that the Cook Islands, through its diaspora and local companies, contributed more than a billion dollars to the New Zealand economy, while New Zealand contributed much less to the island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is extraordinary and extreme\u2026 I\u2019ve got no idea [where he got those numbers from].\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peters said New Zealand supported the Cook Islands in many ways, including underwriting Air New Zealand flights to the Cook Islands to enhance tourism and fixing their water system alongside China. He said some of China\u2019s work there had \u201cfailed\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThese are things that are going to be out in the ether very shortly if this comes down to a dispute as to what has happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSadly, that should not be the case. We\u2019ve had this special relationship, and I believe the mass majority of the Cook Islanders want it to go on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Cook Island people\u2026 just don\u2019t know what\u2019s going on, and I and my government, our government, are constitutionally required to ensure we talk to them, to ensure that we, on the behalf of the New Zealand taxpayers, know exactly what\u2019s going on so we\u2019re accountable to the New Zealand taxpayer. It\u2019s their money after all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There have been concerns for years about growing Chinese influence in the Pacific, including by signing infrastructure and security agreements with Pacific nations. New Zealand has previously raised its eyebrows about the likes of a Solomon Islands-China agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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