VZCZCXYZ0235
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWL #0727 2580542
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 150542Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3269
INFO RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT IMMEDIATE 0002
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 4536
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000727 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR D (FRITZ), EAP/FO, EAP/ANP, AND NEA/ 
NSC FOR VICTOR CHA 
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISD LIZ PHU 
PACOM FOR J01E/J2/J233/J5/SJFHQ 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/2016 
TAGS: PREL PTER ECON NZ
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND'S UNIFIL CONTRIBUTIONS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 148157 
 
Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Katherine B. Hadda, 
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary:  GNZ plans to announce soon a year-long 
deployment of a 4-person munitions team to Lebanon for 
demining and disposal of unexploded ordinances.  Defence 
Minister Goff is also considering sending an additional team 
to train Lebanese Armed Forces.  Pending Cabinet approval, 
GNZ also intends to extend its UNSO observers in Lebanon for 
two years (to end of September 2008), and to add an 
additional member to the group.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (C) On September 15, Darryl Dunn, Director for the Middle 
East and Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade 
(MFAT) and Matthew Paterson, Policy Officer in MFAT's 
Security Policy Division, separately confirmed to PE Couns 
that New Zealand will soon announce the deployment of a 
4-person munitions team to Lebanon.  GNZ would like the team, 
which will engage in demining and disposal of unexploded 
ordinances, to be embedded with the UN Mine Action Service 
(UNMAS).  NZDF plans to deploy the team for one year starting 
in October 2006.  MFAT has sent word of the planned 
deployment to the NZ missions in New York and Washington, but 
GNZ will not announce the deployment until it has UN 
acceptance and a reliable force protection and logistical 
support network has been identified. 
 
¶3.  (C) Dunn and Paterson say Defence Minister Goff is 
additionally looking into sending an additional expert team 
to train and advise the Lebanese Armed Forces in demining and 
unexploded ordinance disposal, and to help with strategic 
identification of areas in which to conduct this work. 
 
¶4.  (C) Cabinet approval for New Zealand's current UNSO 
contributions expires in two weeks.  According to Dunn and 
Paterson, the Cabinet is being asked to approve on an 
expedited basis the extension of the deployment to September 
30, 2008.  The current New Zealand deployment includes seven 
observers and the UNSO Chief of Staff, Brigadier Lilley.  The 
UN has asked New Zealand additionally to fill the Golan 
Heights Chief of Operations and Chief of Observer Group slots 
with NZDF Lt. Colonels.  New Zealand is looking to fill both 
positions.  As neither would be in Lebanon at the same time, 
this would bring New Zealand's total UNSO observer commitment 
to eight, the maximum that has been approved by the NZ 
Cabinet.  Paterson asks that USG officials keep this 
information close hold until the Cabinet has approved the 
extension. 
 
McCormick