A proposal from the Cook Islands to create its own sovereign passport and individual citizenship has been refused until the small Polynesian island is prepared to discuss full independence.
A spokesperson for the Aotearoa/NZ Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, released a statement on Sunday after Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown had been pushing the case for a distinct passport publicly since October.
Mr Peters advised that only an independent and sovereign nation would be permitted to take that course of action.
Cook Islanders are Aotearoa/New Zealand citizens by birth right or permanent residency and passports are issued to Cook Island nationals by the NZ government.
"If the goal of the government of the Cook Islands is independence from New Zealand, then, of course, that's a conversation we are ready for them to initiate," the spokesperson for Mr Peters said.
The spokesperson added that a decision on Cook Islands' future would have to be made in a referendum by the adult residents of the territory.
Cook Islands, under its Rarotongan name Kūki 'Airani, was first the Maori foundation of Aotearoa's existence.
Cook Islanders have been a part of the "Realm of New Zealand" since 1901 before becoming self-governing in 1965.
Nearly 100,000 New Zealanders who identify as Cook Island Maori live in Aotearoa currently.
A Cook Islands' passport would come exclusively with citizenship, membership of the United Nations and its own independence and sovereignty, Mr Peters said.
According to New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Cook Islands would not be able to access a new passport of their own while it remains in a free association with New Zealand that controls domestic and international affairs on behalf of the islands' residents.
Mr Peters also added that the government was holding a constitutional obligation to respond to the Cook Island's requests for assistance with foreign affairs, disasters and defence that would otherwise heap pressure on its internal government.
"A Cook Islands passport would raise fundamental questions for our shared constitutional relationship and shared citizenship," Mr Peters first wrote to PM Brown in a letter in September of this year.
Mr Brown's latest media response directly to the statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade the following day appears to demonstrate the Cook Islands has no interest in seeking independence from a free association relationship with Wellington.
"The Cook Islands would not be implementing anything that affects our important status (with New Zealand)," he said.
That would suggest Aotearoa/New Zealand's stance has also been backed up by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
Mr Brown has previously argued in favour of creating a Cook Islands passport while residents retain New Zealand citizenship.
"New Zealanders are free to carry dual passports, there are a number of New Zealanders who have their passports of other countries," Mr Brown said to Radio New Zealand last month.
"It is precisely the same thing that we'll be doing."
Critics have accused Mr Brown of not consulting Cook Islanders after public documents were first released to New Zealand TV broadcaster in October.
