The Proxy Problem: New Zealand's Independence Under Scrutiny Former Prime Minister Helen Clark has warned her country against compromising its independent foreign policy tradition in response to growing regional security threats and superpower rivalries.
At stake is the delicate balance between national sovereignty and participation in multilateral efforts to ensure regional stability.
Clark cautions that pressure from the United States and Australia to become more involved in regional security initiatives, such as a potential Pacific Nuclear Weapons Free Zone treaty, could undermine New Zealand's control over its own foreign policy decisions.