Thatcher Too Won’t Reveal Nuclear Ships : Sets Stage for Crisis With New Zealand by Backing U.S. Position

WASHINGTON —  British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, setting the stage for a possible confrontation with New Zealand, said today that she has “no intention whatsoever” of disclosing whether British ships visiting that Commonwealth country carry nuclear weapons.

Thatcher told a news conference that she was “disappointed” with New Zealand Prime Minister David Lange’s decision to deny port access to a U.S. warship because the Reagan Administration refused to say it carried no nuclear armaments.

Lange is scheduled to visit Britain next week and, according to British reports, he will be told that his anti-nuclear policy will also prevent British warships from visiting New Zealand ports.

New Zealand’s decision denying port facilities to a U.S. warship has triggered a major diplomatic crisis and has led the United States to cancel a number of military exercises with New Zealand under the ANZUS alliance.

Cites ‘NATO Task’

Thatcher said British ships “must carry whatever is appropriate to their NATO task.

“And I have no intention whatsoever of revealing whether or not a nuclear armament is part of their weaponry aboard any particular ship.

“And therefore I hope they would not ask whether they are carrying them or would accept if they ask that we will not say.”

“I cannot answer and I will not answer that question,” Thatcher said. “I should be very disappointed if our naval ships cannot visit New Zealand.”

Thatcher talked with newsmen on the second day of her U.S. visit, after meeting with President Reagan on Wednesday and expressing her support for his “Star Wars” plan.

No ‘Ready-Made Answers’

On another topic today, she said there are no “ready-made answers” to sore economic problems between her country and the United States.

Taking note of the recent surge in the value of the dollar, she said: “We’re well aware of problems of the mounting strength of the dollar and its problems for the rest of the world. I’m afraid we haven’t any ready-made answers.”

Asked whether she gave the President any advice on the deficit, she replied, “I don’t think he needs any advice on getting the deficit down.”

Thatcher, who had planned to end her two-day visit at midday today, was delayed by bad weather in Britain and is scheduled to leave for London at midnight, a British Embassy spokeswoman said.