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

061919Z Jun 06

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000431 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR IIP/G/EA - SPRIETO AND RFHOLDEN; EAP/PD - AEGRIMES AND 
RJPOST; EAP/ANP - DRICCI 
EMBASSIES FOR PAO 
 
E.O.12958:N/A 
TAGS: OIIP
SUBJECT: Proposal for U.S. Speaker Dr. Anthony Cordesman 
 
 
¶1. Dr. Anthony Cordesman is the Burke Chair of Strategy at the 
Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Co-Director of 
the Center's Middle East Program, Washington D.C., to visit 
Wellington, early September, 2006. 
 
¶2. Post requests Dr. Cordesman for five days of speaking engagements 
in New Zealand in support of MPP Goal 07-01, Active Anti-Terrorist 
Coalitions (Counter terrorism) & Regional Stability, and Goal 07-03, 
Mutual Understanding. 
 
¶3. Justification and Objective: Cordesman's positions -- as Burke 
Chair of Strategy at the Center for Strategic and International 
Studies and Co-Director of the Center's Middle East Program -- and 
as a military analyst for ABC and professor of National Security 
Studies at Georgetown University, where he directs the assessment of 
global military balance, strategic energy developments (including 
CSIS' Dynamic Net Assessment of the Middle East), and maintains 
interests in the West and the Arab world as either a partnership or 
a clash of civilizations, make him especially suited to meetings 
with top officials in the New Zealand government, in academia, and 
at the Military Studies Institute. Post would also like Cordesman's 
NZ visit to coincide with the 5th anniversary of September 11. 
Cordesman has a reputation as a speaker with great 
authority/credibility on his topic. For this reason, Australia has 
expressed interest in programming him the week before NZ (4-8 
September - funds pending); and he could visit Fiji for one day 
after NZ.  Our Australian colleagues have advised that they would 
have Dr. Cordesman at any time. 
 
¶4. Please note: Post has contacted Dr Cordesman who has registered 
his interest in visiting New Zealand at this time.  A CV is 
requested, along with speaking topics. 
 
¶5. Activity Date, Fiscal Year and Quarter: Requested date is 
September 9-18; fourth quarter, FY 2006. 
 
¶6. Audience and Types of Events: We envisage a program of lectures, 
seminars, discussions, and media interviews in the university 
centers of Wellington, Palmerston North, and Auckland, as well as 
programs in support of our South Island Virtual Presence Post.  We 
expect that the audience for the New Zealand visit will include 
business leaders, opinion makers, policy makers, academics, the 
media, and members of the Strategic Studies Institute and New 
Zealand Institute of International Affairs (NZIIA) in at least three 
centers. 
 
¶7. We plan to discuss the exact subject of the presentations and 
roundtables with Dr. Cordesman once the proposal is accepted. 
 
¶8. Cordesman's contact details: 
Burke Chair in Strategy 
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) 
Suite 400 
1800 K Street NW 
Washington DC 20006 
 
Phone: (202) 775-7325 - William Sullivan, Research Assistant 
wsullivan@csis.org 
Fax: (202) 775-3199 
Email: BurkeChair@csis.org and Acordesman@aol.com 
 
¶9. Cordesman's publications are numerous and include two recent 
reports: "American Strategic, Tactical, and Other Mistakes in Iraq: 
A Litany of Errors" and "Iranian Nuclear Weapons? Iran's Missiles 
and Possible Delivery Systems"; "Iranian Nuclear Weapons? The 
Uncertain Nature of Iran's Nuclear Programs"; and "Saddam's Last 
Circle." 
 
¶10. Post Project Officer: Control Officer: Christine Vivian. 
 Office Phone: 644-462-6112; Fax: 644-499-0490 
Email: cvivian@actrix.gen.nz or vivianc@state.gov 
 
¶11.  Funding: This visit is contingent on availability of funding as 
per email dated 6/1 from Victor Sidebras to Dr. Roy Glover -- to 
cover all aspects of this seven-day program.  Please advise soonest. 
 Many thanks. 
MCCORMICK