Monday, February 10, 2014

NZ Spits The Dummy At Japan

New Zealand is "deeply annoyed" that a Japanese whaling ship entered its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and has summoned a senior diplomat to complain.
A history of not giving a flying f***!
Officials called in the Japanese embassy's deputy head of mission to make clear their displeasure at Shonan Maru No.2's presence in the EEZ.
Foreign Munster Murray McCully said the vessel (the same one that deliberately collided with Sea Shepherd's Ady Gil)was chasing protest ship Steve Irwin: "I requested the ministry call in the most senior person from the Japanese embassy in Wellington to convey just how disappointed NZ was that a Japanese whaling vessel had come into NZ's exclusive economic zone. We asked our people in Tokyo to pass on a similar message to the foreign ministry there."
The whaler did not enter NZ's territorial waters (which extend 12 nautical miles from the coast), but did breach its EEZ, which covers from 12 to 200nm offshore. While the vessel was legally entitled to enter the EEZ, the ministry made it clear to Japanese officials that it was not welcome. It called the Japanese decision to ignore NZ's wishes "unhelpful, disrespectful and short-sighted". McCully said NZ would consider further steps "to enable the Japanese to understand just how deeply annoying this is."
But don't get your hopes up. This type of tutt-tutt statement is typical of our limp-dick FM, and highlights his total lack of balls. He has us piggybacking on Australia's World Court action against Japanese whaling rather than instigating action himself. He makes meaningless platitudes about all actions for and against whaling in the Sthrn Ocean, yet sends no vessel to oversee behaviour. And now he describes a hunter/killer whaling vessel's incursion in our EEZ as "deeply annoying" and "unhelpful"!
Muzza McCully, your very existence in the role of Foreign Minister is "deeply annoying"! The country requires action over this continued whaling in our 'waters of interest', not weak words. Grow some guts, or do us all a favour and find the door.

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