This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000669 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/ANP 
NSC FOR CHUCK JONES 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/05/2014 
TAGS: PREL NZ
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR PRESSES PM CLARK ON IRAN NUCLEAR ISSUE 
 
REF: WELLINGTON 599 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Charles J. Swindells, Reasons 1.5 (B and D) 
 
¶1. (SBU)  Ambassador Swindells met with New Zealand Prime 
Minister Helen Clark on August 3 to touch base on a number of 
issues.   DCM accompanied as notetaker.  The PM was backed by 
acting Senior Policy Advisor Brook Barrington and Americas 
Division Director (A/S equivalent) Roy Ferguson. 
 
¶2. (C)  The Ambassador noted the number of questions he had 
been taking from university and civic group audiences on 
Iran's nuclear program and pointed to recent press articles 
highlighting growing concern in New Zealand on the subject. 
He explained to the PM that the United States remains very 
concerned as well, and has been looking to the international 
community to step up and provide leadership.  He applauded 
New Zealand's recently announced commitments to the 
Proliferation Security Inititiative and the G-8 Global 
Partnership, and wondered what role the GONZ saw for itself 
on Iran.  PM Clark replied that New Zealand shared USG 
concern over developments in the Iran nuclear program, and 
was looking at how best to bring effective pressure to bear 
on the Iranians.  She said New Zealand had hoped the European 
effort would bear fruit, but the Europeans had been 
disappointed by Iran's subterfuge and hard-line response. 
Clark said the Iranian Foreign Minister would be in New 
Zealand August 23-24, adding that she would use the occasion 
to deliver "a very strong message."  (Comment:  The PM did 
not reveal what other steps New Zealand might take to show 
leadership on this crucial non-proliferation issue (see 
reftel).  End Comment.) 
 
¶3. (U)  The Ambassador updated the PM on his fund-raising 
efforts for the Platinum Triangle Scholarship Program under 
the auspices of Fulbright New Zealand, and thanked her for 
the GONZ's funding contribution. Clark said she was pleased 
to see the private sector response to the new scholarship, 
was delighted with the Embassy's initiative in getting the 
program going and was happy to have made a contribution.  She 
suggested that the program be announced before the end of 
August, and offered to participate in the roll-out.  The 
Ambassador said that timing would be perfect, and suggested 
that it be followed up in January-February, 2005 by a photo 
opportunity and meeting with as many of the private sector 
participants as possible.  The PM said she would be in New 
Zealand during that timeframe and agreed it would be good to 
highlight the public-private nature of the scholarship 
program.  The Ambassador informed the PM that he expected the 
first scholarship recipient to be named in April, 2005. 
 
¶4. (C)  The Ambassador and PM discussed the upcoming Pacific 
Islands Forum meeting in Apia. Ambassador Swindells 
congratulated PM Clark for the hard, but effective, work New 
Zealand had done in setting up the PIF secretariat and giving 
governance issues top priority.  The PM said New Zealand had 
done its best to contribute to progress in the South Pacific, 
adding that it would now be up to the secretariat to keep 
momentum.  She expressed concern that secretariat head Greg 
Urwin had "seemed pretty quiet lately."  Clark said she 
looked forward to meeting with Assistant Secretary Kelly in 
Apia. 
 
¶5. (C)  On the margins of the meeting, We passed a copy of 
the MNF Counterterrorism language to policy advisor 
Barrington, since he was preparing a briefing paper on the 
issue for the NZ Cabinet.  We noted that in light of New 
Zealand's previously strong public reaction to the 
Philippines' pull-out from Iraq, our expectation was that New 
Zealand would strongly support our message.  Barrington 
agreed that it would look like a climb-down if the GONZ did 
not publicly support us on this.  (Comment:  Foreign Minister 
Goff issued a statement the following day supporting the MNF 
language (septel).  End Comment.) 
 
Swindells