By Russell Palmer of RNZ
New Zealand will resume about $29.8 million in annual funding to the Cook Islands as the two countries sign a defence and security declaration.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says "cousins fall out now and again," but the recent conversations between the two nations had been "seriously positive."
He said it wasn't a victory for anybody, if anything it was a "triumph of the diplomatic ambience of the Pacific people."
"We're cousins, and we sorted our cousins out, them and us and vice versa," said Peters.
Signed by Peters and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, the declaration comes more than a year after Brown formally signed a strategic deal with China.
New Zealand had not been informed of the details or consulted ahead of time, despite the Cook Islands as a realm country being expected to do so on constitutional matters, defence and security.
Brown has maintained that expectation did not extend to the China deal, and that the deal did not include defence matters.
However, it did include cooperation with China on ocean infrastructure and transport.
Peters' office had warned such a lack of transparency could have significant security implications.
Peters said there had been recent ups and downs between the governments, "in the last couple of years, we have worked through a series of disagreements, and they've been challenging for all of us."
"As I said, it's caused anxiety and uncertainty - so its with considerable satisfaction that we stand before you today with some excellent news, announcing the agreement of this defence and security declaration."
This new declaration aims to clear up any ambiguity, setting out a shared understanding of the nature of both countries' relationship regarding defence and security of the Cook Islands.
Brown said a lot of work and effort had gone into agreeing on the language of the declaration so that it "suits and benefits both countries."
Peters reaffirmed the close ties between the nations, saying: "We are close family, our links are intertwined and ancient".
Brown also referenced the shared ancestry, saying "Our ancestors read the stars and the seas and chose always to move forward."
He said it was "in that spirit" that he signed the declaration.
"Good relationships like good navigation require periodic reckoning and honest reading of where we are."
While the China deal remains in place, the New Zealand side believes the declaration will prevent similar deals being conducted without the details being communicated to New Zealand in future.
Peters later told reporters it wasn't his concern what the new declaration meant for the China deal.
"The China deal is behind us. That's the announcement today. We're not going to go back there. We're going forward.
"This declaration resolves this former ambiguity and provide clarity to both governments so that we can move forward focused on the future, not the past."
Brown explained it was about security and defence across the region, and he was confident the provisions in it would "address any concerns that may have occurred in the past and will certainly address any concerns moving forward."
He said it meant New Zealand was "our first port of call on anything to do with defence and security."
He also said he didn't see the declaration as having any impact on other agreements the Cook Islands had with other countries, and he wasn't concerned about China's response.
Both sides have also been discussing over the past 18 months what the Cook Islands can cooperate with China on - and what it can't.
Peters said it was vital the Cook Islands and New Zealand be "clear with one another and third parties, about the nature of our special relationship and our responsibilities to one another in the defence and security domains".
Brown said it was "not a small thing to engage in a conversation about the shape of a relationship that you have long valued, and we are grateful for the courage and we meet it with our own."
He reaffirmed the Cook Islands was a "self governing state" with its own "international personality and its own development priorities."
He said those weren't claims being made "against anyone", they were simply the foundation on which a genuine partnership must rest.
"New Zealand, to its credit, has always understood this in principle, what today's declaration achieves is the translation of that principle into practice."
Declaration details
The declaration includes clauses about a "deepened cooperation" between the two countries, and while it sets out that the Cook Islands has control over it internal affairs and can pursue its own foreign policy and diplomatic relationships, those are subject to the constitutional limits of free association - the model the two countries have operated under for six decades.
It says New Zealand is "committed to remaining the primary defence and security partner", and both partners acknowledge that means timely, transparent and good-faith engagement on defence and security affecting either partner - with subclauses laying out the specifics in finer detail.
New Zealand's Defence Force will have continued access to Cook Islands territory, and will uplift defence engagement.
Peters acknowledged the declaration might impose on New Zealand obligations to provide more police or military assistance, but pointed out New Zealand was already doing "far more than people think" when it came to maritime surveillance for example.
But the transnational climate meant New Zealand needed to "beef up our capacity", he said.
Peters confirmed New Zealand's financial support - about $29.8 million annually, which has been on pause for two financial years as a result of the disputes - would be restored following the signing.
He said it had been a difficult decision to pause the funding.
"Now that we have come to a mutually satisfactory understanding of the underpinnings of our partnership, we are pleased to normalise all aspects of our relationship, including New Zealand's financial support.
"Throughout the past two years, New Zealand has never wavered from our steadfast commitment to the Cook Islands people and their strong attachment to the free association relationship.
"We are pleased to now have a shared certainty about the contours of that relationship and we are grateful to Prime Minister Brown and his government for the constructive way they approached the negotiation of this declaration."
Peters embarked on his one-day trip to Rarotonga yesterday in a Defence Force 757 to attend the signing after an informal meeting with Brown at Peters' home last month. Peters suggested it was he who had invited Brown.
That meeting was Brown's first substantive discussion with either Peters or New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon since late 2024, although diplomatic discussions have continued between officials.
Brown described as a "really warm, cordial meeting" and he was very encouraged by the discussions.
After Peters' arrival in Avarua, Rarotonga, yesterday evening he and Brown met this morning to conclude the final details of the agreement.
A personalised Warriors jersey was gifted to Brown by the New Zealand delegation, with a spokesperson for Peters jokingly referring to it as "Warriors diplomacy."
Later at the signing, Peters indicated the two countries may not have been meeting face to face enough, "talking enough" or sharing things.
Brown, in turn, said it would now mean Peters would be returning to Rarotonga more often, or he would be visiting New Zealand more, "it has to coincide with important cultural events like the Warriors home games."
On the resumption of funding, Peters said it wasn't discussed or requested, "it's taken for granted guys."
Brown confirmed he hadn't requested it, "that was New Zealand's initiative, and we welcomed it."
Cook Islands and New Zealand relations were also strained from October 2024 after Brown proposed a separate passport for Cook Islanders.
Brown confirmed the following February - and just weeks before Brown signed the China deal - the passport idea was off the table after "New Zealand bared its teeth".
New Zealand has also been concerned about the Cook Islands' shipping registry, brought to a sharp point after Finland seized a CI-flagged vessel carrying Russian oil.
The ship Eagle S had been suspected of causing a power cable outage and damaging or breaking four internet lines in the Baltic sea.
