VZCZCXRO0062
RR RUEHNZ
DE RUEHWL #0486/01 1770653
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 260653Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2949
INFO RUEHNZ/AMCONSUL AUCKLAND 0814

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 WELLINGTON 000486 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/PD-AGRIMES, EAP/P-K BAILES, EAP/ANP-DRICCI, INR/R/MR 
 
E.O. 12985: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KPAO KMDR OPRC PREL NZ
SUBJECT:  FM PETERS' COMMENTS ON THE US-NZ RELATIONSHIP:  NZ MEDIA 
REPORTS 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY:  In recent comments Foreign Minister Peters has made to 
the NZ media he describes America as a "wonderful country" and says 
he is "glad that America leads the free world." 
 
Minister Peters says he hopes the bilateral relationship can be 
improved, but he cautions New Zealanders against elevated 
expectations of deliverables from his upcoming visit to the United 
States. 
 
He also denies any anti-American sentiment behind his release of 
National Party emails.  END SUMMARY 
 
ON HIS VIEW OF THE UNITED STATES: 
 
¶2. On June 3, 2006, Minister Peters was on Agenda TV, New Zealand's 
only long- format political interview program. He was asked directly 
to sum up his attitude regarding the United States. 
 
BEGIN TRANSCRIPT: 
Interviewer:  So what's your own view of America then? 
 
Minister Peters: I think America's an amazing, wonderful country. It 
is many countries in many ways; it has its problems, but I'm glad 
that America leads the free world and not some other country.  END 
TRANSCRIPT. 
 
ON HIS UPCOMING VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES: 
 
¶3. During the television interview and in media reports of his 
appearance before a parliamentary select committee, the Minister 
said he sought a "better relationship with the United States" but 
cautioned against "hype" and New Zealanders' elevated hopes of his 
upcoming visit to the United States. 
 
The Agenda TV interviewer, Lisa Owen, sought his view on the likely 
results of his upcoming U.S. visit: 
 
BEGIN TRANSCRIPT: 
Interviewer:  So generally speaking, what would you want to come out 
of a meeting; you say you don't want to go with no results, so what 
would the result be that you'd be looking for? 
 
Minister Peters:  Well, first of all we've had 21 years of what is 
largely a stalemate; it's time to move these things forward, and I 
have my own private views.  I share them with my officers as to what 
is achievable in 2006 and beyond; and rather than hype them up and 
make all sorts of statements against which people are going to try 
and measure this after 21 years of a stalemate, I'm going to try to 
get on as the All Blacks do -- let the rugby do the talking and let 
the policy do the talking in this case. 
 
Interviewer:  Would you like to meet with George W. Bush? 
 
Minister Peters:  I don't intend to meet with George W. Bush; that's 
not what one would expect as Foreign Minister. That is a prime 
ministerial visit; I'll stick with the Secretary of State, 
Condoleezza Rice.  END TRANSCRIPT 
 
¶4. The June 23, 2006, edition of New Zealand Herald (New Zealand's 
largest circulation daily, Auckland-based) reported comments 
Minister Peters made about the bilateral relationship during a 
select committee hearing. 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  Questioned on his visit next month to the United 
States, Mr. Peters said he did not want to beat it up beforehand. 
 
"I intend to go at the time that I judge it appropriate and to 
ensure that we, as a consequence, have a better relationship with 
the United States. 
 
"It has been my observation over many years that some Foreign 
Ministers have done a marvelous job, to quote my former colleague 
Mike Moore, [and] "spent their time around those parts of the world 
pulling on doors marked 'push.'" END TEXT 
 
The Herald also reported Minister Peters saying: 
 
BEGIN TEXT: 
On the United States: "I don't want to elevate New Zealanders' hopes 
without having the clear capacity to get a result in that area." END 
TEXT 
 
¶5. The June 23, 2006, edition of the Dominion Post 
(Wellington-based, second-largest nationwide circulation) reported 
the same parliamentary hearing under the headline, "Confident Peters 
Steals the Show," noting that "Winston Peters swept up to his first 
grilling as foreign affairs minister, flashed his trademark grin, 
and declared, 'It's show-time.'" 
 
BEGIN TEXT:  The questioning quickly turned to the United States and 
 
WELLINGTON 00000486  002 OF 002 
 
 
when Mr Peters -- who showed off his US-friendly credentials by 
sporting Congressional cufflinks -- hoped to visit and what he 
wanted to achieve.  END TEXT 
After reporting the same comments as above regarding former NZ 
foreign ministers and ensuring a better relationship with the US, 
the Dominion Post went on to report: 
BEGIN TEXT:  Mr. McCully [National Party Foreign Affairs 
spokesperson] tried again. Mr. Peters said the timing of his visit 
was a matter of diaries, but talks with US Assistant Secretary of 
State Christopher Hill gave hope the relationship could be improved. 
However, he did not want to raise expectations without "having the 
clear capacity to get a result." END TEXT 
 
ON HIS RELEASE OF NATIONAL PARTY EMAILS: 
 
¶6. During the June 3 Agenda TV interview Minister Peters underscored 
that there was no anti-American intent to his release of National 
Party emails regarding employing American strategists to work on the 
National Party campaign for the last election. 
 
BEGIN TRANSCRIPT: 
Interviewer:  Well, you did in recent times release this Don Brash 
email, which obviously showed that the National Party had been 
having talks with American strategists. How do you see that fitting 
in with your role as Foreign Affairs Minister?  Because some people 
suggested that there was an anti-American sentiment attached to 
that. 
 
Minister Peters:  It was utterly wrong; for goodness sake, there's 
nothing wrong with talking to Canadian political parties, the UK 
political parties, Australian political parties, or American 
political parties for that matter.  It's when you deny it, that's 
simply what happened: he denied it.  There was no sin in talking to 
them, I've talked to them; we all have, but we don't deny it.  Now 
the Americans are big enough and strong enough in this robust 
democracy to understand exactly what this is about; it is not 
anti-American in any way, shape, or form to point out that someone 
who wishes to be a leader of the country and a Prime Minister is not 
telling the truth. 
 
Interviewer:  So your motivation in releasing that email was in your 
mind to show up a dishonesty? 
 
Minister Peters:   Precisely -- that's what I did. END TRANSCRIPT 
 
MCCORMICK