[asia-apec 470] APEC 99 - NZ may let guards be armed

[Gatt Watchdog]

>From the New Zealand Herald, Auckland, April 25-26, 1998

NZ may let guards be armed

Gun rules may be relaxed for the 1999 Apec summit, says John
Andrews

Foreign agents may be given special permission to import
state-of-the-art weapons to protect world leaders at the Apec
meeting in Auckland next year.

After quiet diplomatic pressure on the Government, Parliament is
expected to consider amending New Zealand's strict gun-import laws
before the 21-nation Apec summit in September 1999.

The need for change to our no-guns policy has grown as overseas
agencies plan security measures for heads of state - including
Bill Clinton, Jiang Zemin, Boris Yeltsin and Ryutaro Hashimoto -
during the summit.

The bodyguards will join armed New Zealand police, including some
being specially trained for what will be this country's biggest
single security exercise.

Adding to the security issues surrounding Apec is a desire by New
Zealand to encourage the "big four" to arrive early or extend
their stay in this country for special summits and bilateral talks
with the Prime Minister, Jenny Shipley.

That means the security hot zone may last for weeks rather than
the days immediately surrounding the Apec meeting.

The relaxation of the gun policy contrasts with measures that
prevailed during the 1995 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting
in Auckland.

Then, foreign secret-service agents had to hand in their weaponry
at Auckland Airport to comply with New Zealand's Arms Act.

But foreign security officials find it unacceptable for the likes
of President Clinton to be protected without sidearms.

Rather than compromise top-level attendance at the Apec summit,
the Government is expected to ease the rules and allow foreign
officers to carry semi-automatic pistols or revolvers.

The Apec security coordinator, Jim Butterworth, confirmed that
police and Government officials were reviewing the policy.

But it is believed very few of the hundreds of foreign protection
agents will carry sidearms while on duty.

Some agencies are understood to use the 9mm semi-automatic
Glock-model pistol with 17-round magazine.

It fires hollow-nosed bullets which combine substantial stopping
power and accuracy.  The Americans regard 9mm Sig-model pistols as
even more accurate than the Glock.

Police security planners do not believe submachine guns are
needed, and it is expected that agents will be told not to bring
them - though they are probably able to get heavier weapons in a
hurry for any perceived threat, anyway.

Under the terms of the Crimes (Internationally Protected Persons
and Hostages) Act 1980, New Zealand police are charged with
primary responsibility for protecting foreign heads of state.

An unspecified number of local police will have extra training in
the use of Glock pistols.

But Aucklanders are unlikely to notice anything much of weapons
other than New Zealand marksmen at strategic vantage points.