VZCZCXRO9246
RR RUEHPB
DE RUEHWL #0400/01 1492235
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 292235Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4293
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 4849
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 0656
RUEHSV/AMEMBASSY SUVA 0594
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0336
RHMFISS/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 0073
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WELLINGTON 000400 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/FO AND EAP/ANP 
NSC FOR VICTOR CHA 
STATE PASS USTR 
OSD FOR USDP/APSA/SSEA JESSICA POWERS 
PACOM FOR J01E/J2/J233/J5/SJFHQ 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2017 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ETRD MARR EAGR OVIP KCMR EWWT KTIA
PHSA, PBTS, SNAR, NZ 
SUBJECT: EAP/ANP DIRECTOR MCGANN'S MAY 21 VISIT TO 
WELLINGTON 
 
REF: WELLINGTON 316 
 
Classified By: Acting DCM Katherine B. Hadda, 
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary: During his May 21 visit to Wellington, 
EAP/ANP Office Director C. Steven McGann and GNZ counterparts 
agreed to work towards firm messages on Fiji, the Solomon 
Islands, Pacific Island Forum (PIF) reform, and other 
regional issues at October's PIF meetings in Tonga.  They 
also exchanged information about their assistance to the 
Pacific Islands as well as regional economic opportunities 
such as the construction of the U.S. military base in Guam. 
Building on the improvement in US-NZ bilateral cooperation 
over the past 10 months, McGann and GNZ officials agreed to 
explore joint approaches to problems in the Pacific Islands, 
Homeland Security, and Antarctic issues.  NZ Defence 
Officials told McGann that the GNZ recognizes it must make NZ 
Military capabilities and plans clear to U.S. counterparts in 
the coming months.  End Summary 
 
---------------------------------- 
KEEPING IN TOUCH ON PACIFIC ISSUES 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) At a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) 
roundtable McGann and Embassy  officials traded notes with 
Deputy Secretary Alan Williams and other GNZ officials on the 
recent Pacific Island Leaders Conference (PICL) in 
Washington.  They observed the PICL helped clarify for 
participants that U.S. regional assistance is moving towards 
capacity building, technical cooperation, and developing 
trade and economic opportunities.  By discussing with them 
pressing problems outside the region, including Iraq and 
N.Korea, the Pacific Leaders realized their views are taken 
seriously by USG officials.  The conference also highlighted 
the potential USD 14 billion in opportunities that the 
construction of the new U.S. military base in Guam would 
create for Pacific Island Country (PIC) businesses. Both 
sides agreed that the Core Partners meeting on the margins of 
the PICL allowed China and other participants to take a 
unified approach to regional donor assistance.  Approving the 
EU's benchmark approach also allowed the donors to send a 
potent message that Fiji's interim government must return to 
democracy.  McGann noted with appreciation NZAID Pacific 
Director Craig Hawke's visit to the Millennium Challenge 
Corporation while in Washington, as coordination will allow 
us to maximize the impact of US-NZ assistance. 
 
¶3.  (C) Both sides agreed US-NZ officials must keep in close 
contact to ensure that the October PIF calls for progress on 
Fiji, PIF reform, support for the Regional Assistance Mission 
Solomon Islands (RAMSI), good governance, and other regional 
issues.  Looking forward, Williams said that Papua New Guinea 
(PNG) will hold elections before the October PIF meetings, 
and that could affect the solidarity of the Melanesian 
Spearhead Group on Fiji and other issues.  All agreed it was 
important to send a consistent, tough message to Fiji, as 
this will make clear to the Solomon Islands and PNG that 
they, too, are on the hook to reform.  Williams said that the 
recent Solomon Islands Tsunami has helped check deteriorating 
GOSI-RAMSI relations, and PM Sogavare is now even saying he'd 
accept a RAMSI close protection unit instead of one from 
Taiwan.  GNZ expressed concerns about the new, Fijian Solomon 
Islands Police Chief, but said they were trying to keep an 
open mind.  As for Fiji itself, Williams said the GNZ is 
"somber" as they see little progress there.  NZ diplomats in 
Suva report that the Cabinet is fractured and the economy is 
weak. 
 
¶4.  (C) McGann explained that the proposed USG draft Regional 
Maritime Law Enforcement Agreement now under review by the 
Quad   1 countries (US, UK, France, NZ, and Japan) would 
strengthen existing bilateral and Quad maritime cooperation. 
The draft is still just a discussion paper, however, and U.S. 
 
WELLINGTON 00000400  002 OF 002 
 
 
officials are very interested in exchanging views with other 
Quad members via a "virtual working group."  U.S. officials 
would also be happy to come to New Zealand to explain the 
draft.  Hawke said a virtual working group focused on 
technical issues would be helpful.  GNZ officials believe 
sharing background information with PICs and other simple 
measures could help the Islands develop the capacity to 
enforce any agreement.  Both sides highlighted recent 
problems with Cook Island vessels registration (Reftel) as an 
example of why an agreement would be useful. 
 
----------------------------------- 
BILATERAL TIES: WHERE TO FROM HERE? 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C) At a follow-on meeting on bilateral issues chaired by 
MFAT America's Division Carl Worker, all agreed that PM 
Clark's March visit to Washington was a milestone.  They also 
agreed Embassy Wellington, MFAT, and the Ministry of Defence 
would draft a conceptual framework for longer-term 
cooperation, particularly on security issues.  Initiatives 
could include annual consultations on Pacific Island issues; 
developing means to coordinate on regional flare ups; working 
to create a regional police force to help stabilize PIC 
governments in crisis; cooperation on regional Homeland 
Security issues such as trafficking in persons; and creating 
public events around the US-NZ Antarctic programs.  The group 
also reviewed upcoming bilateral visits and meetings, 
including Opposition Leader John Key's trip to Washington in 
late June, July 9-10 Trade and Investment Framework Agreement 
(TIFA) talks in Wellington, and OSD BG Toolan's visit to 
Wellington in late July/early August, and Trade/Defence 
Minister Goff's November visit to the Seattle Export Year 
Trade Mission. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
A REALISTIC LOOK AT SECURITY COOPERATION 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (C) McGann also met with Defence Secretary John McKinnon, 
who had recently accompanied Defence Minister Goff to 
Washington.  McKinnon said that from a Ministry of Defence 
view, both the Prime Minister's and Defence Minister's visit 
had been very helpful.  He also said the GNZ was very pleased 
with recent working-level US-NZ consultations at the 
Pentagon, noting that OSD's Jessica Powers and others had 
shown a real disposition to work with New Zealand without 
losing sight of possible difficulties.  McKinnon said that 
MoD was now taking a hard look at the things the NZ military 
is currently doing, the things they might want to do in the 
future, and the things they probably will not be able to do 
in the near and medium term.  McKinnon said the GNZ would let 
US officials know which things fall in the latter category, 
in order to prevent misunderstanding. 
MCCORMICK