VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWL #0717/01 2540523
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 110523Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3254
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 4533
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000717 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR D (FRITZ), EAP/FO, AND EAP/ANP 
NSC FOR VICTOR CHA 
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISD LIZ PHU 
PACOM FOR J01E/J2/J233/J5/SJFHQ 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV NZ
SUBJECT: GNZ SHOULD IMPROVE U.S. TIES, SAYS FORMER NZ 
AMBASSADOR 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission David J. Keegan, 
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
Summary 
-------- 
 
¶1. (C) New Zealand's former Ambassador to the United States, 
John Wood, told an inflential local international affairs 
organization that New Zealand should take the initiative to 
improve US-NZ ties. Wood cited GNZ officials' anti-US 
election campaign rhetoric as a low point in the 
relationship.  He said New Zealand's lack of a FTA with the 
United States has already hurt US corporate interest here. 
Wood also vigorously denied former PM Lange's claims that 
Wood had acted without GNZ instruction when he tried to 
accomodate the U.S.S. Buchanan's visit to New Zealand after 
the country established its anti-nuclear policy.  While our 
foreign affairs contacts appreciate Woods' effort to boost 
US-NZ ties, many wonder why he did not criticize his 
government publicly before leaving his post in Washington for 
retirement early this year.  Others say Wood oversold to PM 
Clark his ability to bring home a US-NZ Free Trade Agreement 
and failed to alert GNZ to Washington's continued concerns 
over New Zealand's anti-nuclear legislation and other issues. 
End Summary. 
 
Don't change the ban, change the attitude 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Wood was a guest of the New Zealand Institute of 
International Affairs on September 4 and spoke to an audience 
largely made up of New Zealanders, including former and 
current diplomats, academics, and journalists. Wood started 
his off-the-record speech, the first since returning from 
Washington, by announcing that he does not advocate a change 
in New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy. But he noted that while 
the present state of the US-NZ bilateral relationship is 
acceptable it does not fully serve New Zealand's interests 
and as a small country it was up to New Zealand to improve 
things. He also said New Zealand must accept the reality that 
due to competing foreign policy demands, the United States 
will likely have little time or attention for New Zealand. 
Wood indicated the current NZ government lacks the needed 
political leadership to reach out to the United States. The 
use of anti-American rhetoric in the last general election 
(September 2005) was a low point in GNZ insensitivity to U.S. 
perceptions, according to Wood.  He said both governments 
need to be mindful of tonality, express policy differences 
clearly and frankly, and be measured in their public 
statements. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Wood hinted that mediocre relations were behind NZ's 
failure to get an FTA with the U.S. even though other 
countries ahead in the queue were "less qualified" than New 
Zealand. He said lack of an FTA has already caused a decline 
in US corporate interest in New Zealand. Expressing optimism 
that things could get better, Wood cited as positive 
indicators for change former Ambassador Swindells' July 2005 
speech calling for a re-look at the relationship and 
Ambassador McCormick's comments about the importance of US-NZ 
economic cooperation. 
 
Wood slams Lange's Take on the US-NZ Rift 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Before his death, (former) Prime Minister Lange had 
publicly criticized Wood for his role in the US-NZ schism 
over the nuclear ban while serving as DCM in Washington. 
Lange claimed that Wood and other NZ bureaucrats had on their 
own initiative tried to negotiate an understanding that would 
have allowed the U.S.S. Buchanan to visit New Zealand. Wood 
told his audience he had in reality followed the PM's and 
Foreign Minister's direct instructions.  He also spoke of his 
damage control work after the rift, which ultimately 
succeeded in large part due to the goodwill of US 
counterparts. He said President Clinton's efforts in 1993 to 
restore dialogue and Prime Minister Jim Bolger's visit to 
Washington in 1995 greatly helped to improve ties.  Wood also 
claimed that there will be a good deal of published material 
that will refute David Lange's version of events surrounding 
the ANZUS rift.  (Note. Wood was probably referring to a book 
by Kiwi historian Malcolm Templeton on the US-NZ split, due 
to be released next month. End Note.) 
 
 
¶5.  (C) Comment: Wood's speech, while delivered under Chatham 
House rules, will have an impact on an influential audience. 
It follows an editorial he wrote in late July calling for 
strengthening of US-NZ ties.  During his retirement outbrief 
at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) earlier 
this year, Wood also reportedly lambasted senior MFAT 
officials for their frequent public negative statements about 
the United States, leading MFAT's CEO to order staff to be 
more cooperative with Embassy officers.  Wood also used at 
least one farewell reception to slam the Labour government 
over its anti-American rhetoric during the 2005 general 
election campaign, noting the remarks had made his job as 
Ambassador significantly tougher.  While our foreign affairs 
contacts are glad he's speaking out now, more than one have 
questioned why Wood did not publicly criticize Labour before 
leaving Washington.  Others say Wood deserves part of the 
blame for sub-optimal Washington ties, since as Ambassador he 
overplayed to PM Clark the likelihood of a US-NZ FTA and 
underplayed USG displeasure over Labour's campaign antics and 
continued concerns over NZ's anti-nuclear policy.  End 
Summary. 
McCormick