VZCZCXYZ0009
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWL #0953/01 3340825
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 300825Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3559
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 4639
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000953 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR D (FRITZ), EAP/FO, EUR/RPM, AND EAP/ANP 
NSC FOR VICTOR CHA 
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISD JESSICA POWERS 
PACOM FOR J01E/J2/J233/J5/SJFHQ 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/30/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV NZ
SUBJECT: NEW NATIONAL LEADER WANTS CLOSER TIES TO U.S. BUT 
WON'T CHANGE NZ'S ANTI-NUCLEAR POLICY 
 
REF: WELLINGTON 935 
 
Classified By: ACTING DCM KATHERINE B. HADDA, 
FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) and (D) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary: The opposition National Party's new leader, 
John Key, says that although he favors closer relations 
between the United States and New Zealand, he believes his 
country should maintain its nuclear-free policy.  Key is 
clearly trying to remove the nuclear issue from the political 
agenda, as many believe National's lack of clarity on the 
matter under former leader Don Brash is one reason the party 
failed to topple the Clark government in the 2005 general 
elections.  While Key is no doubt trying to keep his party's 
faithful engaged by emphasizing that he wants closer ties 
with us and other traditional allies, we regard his call for 
better bilateral relations as genuine.  A former investment 
banker, Key has extensive experience living in the States and 
working with Americans, and is generally pro-U.S.   End 
Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) In a November 30 speech to a National Party-sponsored 
seminar, the new National Party Leader John Key said there is 
no scope for major changes in New Zealand's foreign policy 
and he wishes to cooperate closely with the Labour 
Government.  While noting this is not the time for formal 
policy announcements, Key nevertheless articulated three 
points he said would be central as National develops a new 
way forward: 
 
-- A National-led Government would engage the public more 
closely on defense-related issues and strategies.  Key noted 
that there had not been a government white paper on defense 
since 1997. 
 
-- New Zealand's security interests are not identical to 
Australia's but they align closely, and aiming for 
inter-operability would be a key part of National's policy 
framework. 
 
-- There are almost a quarter of a million New Zealanders of 
Pacific Island heritage, and New Zealand's role in the 
Pacific will be increasing in the years ahead.  Key said 
National will build relationships to allow New Zealand to 
meet its regional responsibilities. 
 
¶3.  (U) Turning to the United States, Key harkened back to 
ANZUS as a lynchpin of National's defense policy for most of 
its history.  He said that he believes New Zealand should 
keep its nuclear free policy and "an ANZUS-based relationship 
is not the way forward between New Zealand and the United 
States."  However, he stressed that he had a "much more 
positive view of the United States and its role in world 
affairs" than most of the Labour Government and he believes 
there is much that can be done to improve US-New Zealand ties 
while leaving New Zealand's foreign policy independent.  He 
added that improving the bilateral relationship would be a 
priority for his government if elected. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Embassy Media Specialist learned from local 
journalists that in a media briefing after the speech, Key 
said that while ANZUS is no more, he wants to move forward on 
a constructive relationship with the United States. 
Responding to a question about the nuclear issue, Key said he 
thought National's position had been in limbo so he wanted to 
make it clear that he supported the anti-nuclear legislation 
and it would remain in force as long as he was the National 
Party leader.  He said he would take this view to caucus to 
ratify.  Key added that he strongly supports and wishes to 
strengthen New Zealand's relationship with the United States 
and traditional allies Australia and the UK, but that 
National's foreign policy would be for New Zealanders and not 
be "slavish" to any particular relationship of the past. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) When asked for a response from the press, the Media 
Specialist used pre-cleared State Department guidance noting 
that while our differences with New Zealand on the nuclear 
issue are well known, we believe it more constructive to look 
forward than back.  We understand that the press intends to 
report our response as "muted." 
 
¶6.  (C) Comment:  Key is clearly trying to move beyond 
National's past confused stance on the nuclear issue, which 
 
has been a source of trouble for the party over the past few 
years.  In 2004, former Foreign Minister Phil Goff misquoted 
a junior Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) 
staffer's notes from a meeting between a Codel and former 
National leader Don Brash to claim that Brash had promised 
the nuclear ban would be "gone by lunchtime."  Brash denied 
he intended to get rid of the ban without a referendum, but 
was unable to respond credibly when Labour said that must 
mean he was planning to scrap the legislation, which many 
Kiwis view as an iconic part of the country's identity.  When 
Labour was flagging in opinion polls close to the 2005 
general election, it revived the specter of National's 
removing the ban, and National officials have confided to us 
they think this is one reason they ultimately did not win the 
race.  National's Foreign Policy spokesman Murray McCully 
told us almost a year ago that he was urging the caucus to 
include a commitment to the ban in its platform. 
 
¶7.  (C) Key is also clearly trying to signal that he wants a 
closer relationship with the United States.  As noted reftel, 
he has lived in the United States and is general favorable 
towards us.  Over the coming weeks and months, we will engage 
more with Key and learn what he has in mind. 
McCormick