U.S. Drops Ban on New Zealand Navy Ships

It's a 30-year-old artifact of the country's anti-nuke stance

In a historic visit, United States Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has dropped a ban on New Zealand naval ships entering US ports, saying the shift heralds a "new era" in the New Zealand-US relationship.

However, the impasse over US ships visiting New Zealand remains.

Mr Panetta announced that Washington would drop restrictions on ship visits and remove the requirement to get a waiver before any military talks or exercises.