Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown is in Aotearoa but will not be engaging with his Kiwi counterpart.
Brown spoke at a formal event at Takina Events Centre in Wellington on Wednesday, before travelling to Auckland to meet members of the Cook Islander diaspora.
Addressing a room of dignitaries, which included Labour deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni, Brown said his country was “growing in influence” globally on its “voyage of statehood”.
“Our desire to pursue our own policies and interests have been reflected in our growing participation on the international stage,” he said.
Noting the 60th anniversary of the NZ-Cook Islands free association compact, Brown said the nature of that relationship was due for a rethink.
“There are times when we must pause and consider whether the conventions and evolved understanding between our freely associated states remain aligned,” he said.
“We find ourselves in such a moment.”
However, he also spoke of the “family-like” relationship with affection, saying “maturity shouldn’t change our bond”.
His office had been coy with media in the runup to the visit, telling Cook Islands News that “officials remain in regular contact, and we welcome opportunities for dialogue” with NZ officials at all levels.
But RNZ Pacific understands Christopher Luxon and Mark Brown will not meet on this trip.
Winston Peters’ office confirmed on Monday that he had no planned engagements with the Cooks PM either. Asked why, Brown refused to comment.
Prime Minister Luxon returned to New Zealand on Wednesday after a four-day trip to Samoa and Tonga.
He told media at Parliament on Thursday that progress was being made – but it was best that officials handled it.
‘I’m confident we’ll get to a good place in the end, we’ve made some good progress recently, but I’m going to let our officials handle that progress,” he said.
“Mark and I have spoken in the past … about how we want to handle it going forward.”
The pair last met at the Pacific Islands Forum in Honiara last year, after Brown’s government was roundly criticised by NZ signing a deal with China without consultation, as per the free association agreement.
Further, it was revealed the Cook’s private shipping registry had been hosting sanctioned oil tankers linked to a “shadow fleet” servicing Russia and Iran, which MFAT said risked New Zealand’s international reputation.
It has all resulted in a “pause” in aid to the Cook Islands, something which Brown said at the time he wanted to resolve with Luxon or Peters directly.
RNZ reported last November that Brown “wanted to elevate these discussions to the Prime Minister’s level but was told “they wanted the discussions to be done between our officials.”
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) told RNZ Pacific, “New Zealand and Cook Islands officials continue to engage regularly and will be meeting while the Cook Islands delegation is in New Zealand.’
However, written responses from ministry officials to Parliament’s foreign affairs select committee last week suggest there is still mistrust.
They said MFAT officials continue to engage with their Cook Islands counterparts regularly regarding a myriad of concerns.
These revolve around “concerns about a series of actions and statements by the Cook Islands, the nature of our free association relationship and the need to rebuild the trust that underpins it.
