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Summarised by Centrist
Former Prime Minister Helen Clark has slammed Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown for signing a partnership agreement with China without consulting New Zealand, calling it a “clandestine” move that has “damaged” relations.
The deal’s contents remain undisclosed, raising concerns over potential Chinese involvement in deep-sea mining and unsustainable debt.
Clark argues that under the Joint Centenary Declaration of 2001, Cook Islands should have been transparent with New Zealand before finalising the agreement. “Cook Islands has opted in the past for a status which is not independent of New Zealand, as signified by its people carrying New Zealand passports,” she said, adding that if Brown wants full independence in foreign affairs, “he should formally change the country’s status.”
Brown, however, insists the agreement complements Cook Islands’ relationship with New Zealand rather than replacing it. His stance has received pushback from New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters, who believes Wellington should have been consulted. AUT law lecturer and former Pacific Islands Forum policy advisor Sione Tekiteki noted a legal ambiguity in the 2001 declaration, questioning whether “consultation” requires sharing agreements before signing or simply discussing broader policy directions.
Image: Mr Bullitt
