The Cook Islands ‘ plan to create a separate card for its citizens was rejected by New Zealand, which would allow them to keep their New Zealand membership.
Cook Islands, a self-governing Pacific region, is in “free relationship” with New Zealand, which is responsible for the latter’s foreign affairs and military.
Cook Islanders may even live, work and get care in New Zealand.
Prime Minister Mark Brown had demanded that Cook Islanders have their own documents in order to “recognize our own folks,” but New Zealand has argued that this won’t happen until the Cook Islands become completely independent.
Files that were first made available to the local journalist 1News and later seen by Reuters apparently revealed that Brown has been pushing for a separate card and membership for those living in the Cook Islands in an effort to keep its relationship with New Zealand as a world nation.
Almost 100, 000 Cook Islands citizens live in New Zealand, while just about 15, 000 live on the Cook Islands. Those who have resided in New Zealand regularly for at least a month may cast ballots or challenge the country’s primaries and referendums.
According to reports, there have been escalating tensions between the two nations regarding the issue of individual membership, with leaders on both sides holding a number of discussions in recent months.
There are a number of New Zealanders who have visas from different nations, according to Brown, who was quoted on Radio New Zealand in November.
” It is precisely the same thing that we’ll be doing”, he said.
Nevertheless, some Cook Islanders criticized their government for not having beenconsulted about the plan.
The real issue is, according to Thomas Wynne, a native of Cook Island and a native of Wellington, “what do the people of the Cook Islands want and have they been consulted on this important decision?” Or will it be a choice made by the few on behalf of the several?
Another Cook Islanders expressed concern that their right to care exposure would also be impacted by this decision, according to another Cook Island resident.
However, New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters successfully ended the discussion by revealing that a separate card and citizenship are only available to totally independent and sovereign nations on Sunday.
He added that any decision to alter the present relationship between the two nations would have to be decided in a referendum.
In a statement to the media, he said,” Such a referendum would allow the Cook Islands people to carefully decide whether they prefer the status quo, having access to New Zealand citizenship and passports, or being fully independent.”
” We are prepared for them to start a conversation if the state of the Cook Islands ‘ aim is to become independent of New Zealand.”
Brown later responded to Peters ‘ statement by saying the Cook Islands would” not be implementing anything that affects our important status with New Zealand” ( in 1News ).
Niue, another tiny Pacific island, and New Zealand also have a similar relationship; it is self-governing privately but relys on Wellington for most of its defense and foreign affairs.
Other countries around the world have self-governing lands, including Puerto Rico, which is subordinate to the US in terms of defense and foreign affairs, and Greenland and the Faroe Islands, which are part of the Danish Kingdom.