Defence and Trade Minister Phil Goff has warmly welcomed the support of two former senior United States officials for closer cooperation in defence with New Zealand, and their call for a Free Trade Agreement.

In an opinion piece published in the Asian Wall St Journal, Richard Armitage, a former Deputy Secretary of State and senior Pentagon official, and Randy Shriver, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, called on the US Administration to relax restrictions placed on defence cooperation in the 1980s as a result of New Zealand's anti-nuclear legislation.

Armitage and Shriver said US policy was inhibiting the bilateral relationship from reaching its full potential, despite the valuable contribution New Zealand was making in fighting terrorism and promoting free trade.

"I welcome the acknowledgment by Richard Armitage and Randy Shriver of the significant changes underway in the New Zealand Defence Force, and the considerable increase in resources this government has provided our military.

"I agree with them that it is in both of our interests to ensure that the long-standing difference over nuclear policy does not impede mutually-beneficial cooperation in the areas of security and defence, where we have many shared interests.

"As Trade Minister I also welcome the support of Richard Armitage and Randy Shriver for an FTA between New Zealand and the United States.

"Their support adds to the growing constituency we are building up in Washington. Recently Senators John McCain and John Sununu wrote to President Bush in support of an FTA. We also have very good support from a caucus of more than 60 Congressmen.

"US corporates and key sectoral figures such as Governor John Engler, the President of the National Association of Manufacturers, and Tom Donohue, President of the US Chamber of Commerce, have also added their support.

"New Zealand will continue to push for the start of negotiations for an FTA with the United States as soon as possible, while acknowledging that the current heavy agenda before the US Trade Representative does impose constraints in the short term," Mr Goff said.