The United States has lifted a 26-year old ban on visits by New Zealand warships to U.S. defense and coast guard bases around the world, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Friday.

For the first time since the suspension of the ANZUS Treaty in 1986, Washington will allow individual visits by Royal New Zealand Navy ships to Department of Defense or Coast Guard facilities in the United States and around the world, Panetta said in prepared remarks to be delivered in Auckland.

"These changes make it easier for our militaries to engage in discussions on security issues and to hold cooperative engagements that increase our capacity to tackle common challenges," he said.

[link to news.yahoo.com]