Onesta visited the station on the South Island last week, as part of a European Parliament delegation.

The French Green MP said he had no idea such a spy base operated in New Zealand and it was important for him to visit it.

But despite an approach to the government communications security bureau which runs Waihopai, he was allowed only as far as the inner gate. The New Zealand government has denied recent allegations that the spy base is linked to the Echelon system which intercepts phone, fax and email communications.

But Onesta said such secrecy surrounding the station needed to be challenged, adding the Echelon system needed to be much more transparent.

"In my idea when a door is closed there is something wrong on the other side," he said.

Onesta said the Greens in the European Parliament were trying to force an investigative committee to be set up to look into Echelon, which he alleged was "big brother. It's George Orwell put into reality."

To do this they needed the support of 160 of the 626 MPs and when he left for New Zealand the party already had 100.

The committee would have legal powers to investigate the Echelon system and its use in Britain.

Copyright 1999 AFP. All rights reserved. The material on this page is provided by AFP and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Spy power boost for secret station

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