US Lifts Ban on New Zealand Ships

From left to right: US Ambassador to New Zealand David Huebner, New Zealand Minister of Defense Dr. Jonathan Coleman, and US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta

Leon Panetta became the first US Defense Secretary to visit New Zealand, since 1986.

Whilst there he announced that the US is lifting a ban, that has been in place since then, on ships from New Zealand being able to dock in US harbors.

The ban had been in place after New Zealand barred nuclear weapons from entering it's waters, thereby making it impossible for many American naval ships to enter.

In 2003, when New Zealand sent troops to Afghanistan, the relationship between them and the US began to improve.

The two countries signed a trade agreement in May and a defense pact this June.

New Zealand has no plans to end the ban on nuclear weapons, leaving the US saying they see no future for the US Navy in their waters, but both countries are making it clear they will grow their relationship despite the hurdles.