VZCZCXRO5185
PP RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHWL #0866/01 3530029
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 190029Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4963
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 5051
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI PRIORITY 0025
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0043
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0306
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE PRIORITY 0517
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0676
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0056
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 WELLINGTON 000866 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/ANP; PACOM FOR JO1E/J2/J233/J5/SJFHQ; OSD FOR 
JESSICA POWERS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2017 
TAGS: PREL MARR NZ
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND AND US MIL-TO-MIL COOPERATION 
 
WELLINGTON 00000866  001.2 OF 004 
 
 
Classified By: Pol/Econ Counselor Margaret McKean; Reason 1,4 (b) and ( 
d) 
 
¶1.  (C)  Summary.  During a December 4-5 visit to New 
Zealand, OSD New Zealand Director Jessica Powers and PACOM 
New Zealand Desk Officer Rick Bairett reviewed US-NZ military 
cooperation, discussed the implementation of a new 
notification policy covering eight areas of mil-to-mil 
engagement, and Powers updated MOD officials on the status of 
the GNZ pending request to sell its inventory of A-4 planes. 
Both Air Vice Marshal David Bamfield and MOD Secretary John 
McKinnon underscored the importance the GNZ attaches to the 
successful resolution of the A-4 sale.  Powers pressed GNZ 
officials on further commitments to Afghanistan; she allowed 
that DOD would work with the GNZ on addressing logistics 
concerns surrounding a renewed SAS deployment to Afghanistan. 
 USG and GNZ officials discussed future activities for 
engagement and cooperation, and agreed to work closely to 
enhance cooperation within the region (through the ARF).  New 
Zealand officials noted their efforts to encourage other 
countries to expand contributions in Afghanistan.  End 
Summary. 
 
A-4 Sale of Major Concern to GNZ 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C)  In her opening call on Ministry of Defense Secretary 
John McKinnon, OSD Director Jessica Powers explained that her 
visit to New Zealand had two objectives:  clarify the status 
of the A-4 sale and review the USG decision to move eight 
categories of military cooperation to a notification process 
within DOD to expedite planning facilitation.  Powers 
introduced Major Rick Bairett from PACOM, and encouraged GNZ 
interlocutors to reach out to PACOM if there are questions 
surrounding GNZ participation in upcoming activities.  Sec 
McKinnon welcomed the USG visitors and the opportunity to 
discuss the relationship in broad terms, noting that the GNZ 
owes the U.S. a response to the US decision regarding the 
notification process.  The new arrangements, McKinnon 
continued, have been expected for some time and MOD is 
pleased that it's happened.  He advised that both Minister of 
Defense Phil Goff and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston 
Peters had both signed off on the document; PM Clark has been 
traveling for three weeks and simply has not yet had an 
opportunity to review the new procedures and draft press 
language.  Minister Goff briefly referred to the policy 
during a recent trip to Canada. 
 
¶3.  (C)  In moving to the pending A-4 sale, Powers prefaced 
her remarks by noting the issue is complex in that it 
involves a DOD Inspector General investigation; nothing that 
OSD does in terms of following up on the progress of the 
proposed sale can be perceived as interfering in the legal 
process.  Powers related that she is aware the GNZ is 
considering another buyer of the planes; the State Department 
will consider the sale as long as the company in question has 
a USG contract.  She noted that the proposed buyer is only 
one dimension of the sale; there is also the issue of DOD 
responsibility and potential liability for such planes, and 
this factor also has a bearing on the delay. 
 
¶4.  (C)  McKinnon thanked Powers for the update and offered 
that Minister Goff is getting "quite agitated" about the A-4 
issue.  The GNZ appreciates the legal aspect of the ongoing 
application, said McKinnon, and opined that another buyer 
would probably be the preferred option for moving this issue 
forward.  The Secretary emphasized that if another suitable 
company can be identified, the GNZ would appreciate 
expeditious processing of the request.  Powers urged that the 
NZ Embassy in Washington work closely with OSD/DSCA on the 
A-4 issue. 
 
Afghanistan:  NZ to Stay "as Long as Necessary" 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶5.  (C)  On Afghanistan, McKinnon said that Ministers had 
recently agreed that New Zealand would continue its 
 
WELLINGTON 00000866  002.2 OF 004 
 
 
participation for another year.  The one-year review is only 
a function the GNZ's internal administration process, said 
the DepSec, and he opined that New Zealand would continue its 
deployment "as long as it's necessary to do so."  A Canadian 
independent panel recently visited the New Zealand PRT in 
Bamiyan, and Paul Sinclair said that GNZ officials stressed 
the importance of the Canadian contribution to Afghanistan 
and the need for the international community to stay the 
course in Afghanistan.  McKinnon observed that Bamiyan has 
become synonymous with New Zealand, adding that the New 
Zealand government will review in early 2008 the whole 
spectrum of NZ assistance in Afghanistan as well as the 
prospect of a presence in Kabul. 
 
¶6.  (C)  McKinnon noted that the number of security incidents 
in Bamiyan has risen recently, and that is a concern.  What 
is not clear, he continued, is whether the problem stems from 
political or criminal problems; the GNZ has deployed 
personnel to assess the situation and make recommendations. 
Powers responded that continued New Zealand PRT assistance in 
Afghanistan is of great importance, and that the USG would 
welcome the return of the New Zealand Special Forces (SAS). 
She said that if the GNZ were to consider a redeployment to 
Afghanistan, the USG would prefer that the SAS conduct 
special operations rather than perimeter security for the 
Bamiyan PRT.  The USG is cognizant of GNZ transportation 
concerns and competing demands for New Zealand Defense Forces 
in the south Pacific.  She urged the MOD to identify 
constraints and work with the USG to resolve issues 
surrounding the SAS.  McKinnon took the message on board, but 
noted that the decision rests with the Prime Minister. 
 
¶7.  (C)  Powers asked if there were other military resources 
that might be considered -- trainers or Operational and 
Military Liaison Teams (OMLTs).  McKinnon responded that the 
trainer issue was under consideration with particular 
attention to the availability of the relevant personnel.  New 
Zealand was also looking at police training.  Powers 
suggested that New Zealand, in considering options beyond the 
Bamiyan PRT, look at the OMLTs, which interface between ISAF 
and the ANA in providing both training and operational 
support.  Paul Sinclair said that the OMLT issue has been 
examined by GNZ officials, but has not been put forward to 
Ministers for a decision.  McKinnon offered that the GNZ will 
review its Afghanistan contribution in the first half of 
2008, looking at what others are doing and how New Zealand 
might mix in with other elements.  Powers asked if the GNZ 
were planning to send an assessment team to Afghanistan, but 
McKinnon said there were no plans at present.  Powers 
suggested that if a team were to go out, it would be useful 
for the team to stop at CENTCOM and in Washington.  She also 
urged New Zealand to get the Singaporeans to do more in 
Afghanistan.  Paul Sinclair said that Singapore is 
considering a GNZ request to place medical personnel in a 
Dutch-run hospital in Uruzgan province.  In addition, New 
Zealand has approached Japan about the possibility of 
contributing to the Bamiyan PRT with engineers and medics. 
Powers was aware of the request to Japan, noting that the USG 
has encouraged Japan to do what it can. 
 
Improved US-NZ Mil-to-Mil Cooperation 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (C)  In a broader meeting at the Ministry of Defense 
chaired by Director for International Defense Relations Paul 
Sinclair, Powers and Bairett met with Director of Defense 
Intelligence Kevin Arledge, MFAT Division of the Americas 
Senior Policy Officer Justin Fepuleai, Director of Strategic 
Commitments Ian Gore, Director of Defense Policy and Planning 
Wayne Higgins, Warren Whiting (his replacement) and MFAT's 
Security and Disarmament Division's Rick Prendergast.  Paul 
Sinclair praised the increased tempo of bilateral visits and 
mil-to-mil interaction over the past year, and welcomed the 
recent USG notification policy decision for the eight areas 
of engagement.  Powers and Bairett discussed various upcoming 
operations with officials, including a possible Te Mata long 
distance training linkup while the ship is en route to the 
 
WELLINGTON 00000866  003.2 OF 004 
 
 
Mideast, a Proliferation Security Initiative exercise (Maru 
in September 2008) in which PAC Fleet and the US Coast Guard 
will participate depending on how much of the exercise will 
be in port or in international waters.  Ian Gore said that 
the detail of the exercise will be worked out during the 
Operational Experts Groups (OEG) meeting in London in early 
¶2008. 
 
¶9.  (C)  Activities in Dili involving US and NZ forces may 
also fall within the eight categories, and both sides agreed 
that there could be opportunities there.  Bairett offered 
that Australia has asked PACOM to do more in Dili; the U.S. 
will be deploying Marines to Timor Leste next year.  Powers 
and Bairett agreed that PACOM would keep New Zealand in the 
loop on military planning for exercises and training in Dili. 
 Paul Sinclair said that the New Zealand police in Dili spend 
the majority of their time mentoring other members of the 
international UN police contingent, as opposed to working 
with the Timor police.  The UN, continued Sinclair, has 
recommended that the New Zealand defense forces liaise with 
the Timor police but New Zealand does not believe military 
should do police work.  Just as in Afghanistan, there is a 
weakness in the international police development efforts in 
Dili, agreed USG and GNZ officials. 
 
¶10.  (C)  Powers noted that before the recent USG policy 
decision, operators on the US side often assumed the answer 
regarding joint mil-mil activities with New Zealand would be 
negative, and therefore they would not pursue permission; 
others would wait until the last minute to propose 
activities.  Now OSD and PACOM need to ensure the questions 
are asked early and that communication with GNZ operators is 
encouraged; Powers said that the USG would welcome feedback 
from the GNZ as to how the new policy is working.  Major 
Bairett noted that Admiral Keating had wanted a PACOM 
official to visit New Zealand as Rear Admiral Ledson will be 
exploring a possible PAC Fleet visit to New Zealand in April 
¶2008.  Paul Sinclair requested that the instructions provided 
by OSD to US commands be given to the New Zealand Ministry of 
Defense so that parallel instructions are handed down to New 
Zealand counterparts.  Powers agreed to explore the 
possibility.  Bairett and Sinclair discussed the need to 
arrive at a common definition of third-party hosted 
operations, as it is not always clear as to sponsorship. 
Paul Sinclair raised the issue of a NZ liaison officer at 
PACOM, as had been proposed by New Zealand during the 
previous visits of Brigadier General Toolan and DASD Clad. 
Powers noted that the U.S. owes New Zealand a response on 
this issue.  She suggested that given New Zealand's current 
list of activities for 2008, it may be worth sending a GNZ 
official to PACOM every six months for a discussion on 
opportunities for greater collaboration.  Regular PACOM 
contact through Rick Bairett is another area for enhancing 
PACOM-New Zealand coordination and dialogue. 
 
¶11.  (C)  Bairett said that the USG would like to see the ARF 
do more, particularly on maritime security.  He added that 
the US does not have to be in the lead all the time and would 
welcome other partners pushing the ARF to assume greater 
ownership of this issue.  New Zealand officials agreed, 
noting that the GNZ is like minded and would like to see more 
defense dialogue within the ARF. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶12.  (C)  GNZ officials were very appreciative of the visit 
by Jessica Powers and Rick Bairett, particularly the update 
on the status of the A-4 sale, which is increasingly of 
concern to senior GNZ officials and a potential bilateral 
irritant.  Representatives of the various MOD offices 
welcomed the opportunity to discuss the recent USG policy 
shift from an operator/technical level, and the impact on 
scheduled and planned activities over the next year.  Both US 
and NZ officials agreed that with the change in USG policy, 
improved lines of communication are necessary as the 
bilateral mil-to-mil relationship has shifted accordingly. 
 
WELLINGTON 00000866  004.2 OF 004 
 
 
To that end, GNZ officials were pleased to meet Major Bairett 
and discuss enhanced NZ-PACOM coordination.  End Comment. 
 
¶13.  (U)  OSD Director Powers has cleared this message. 
Keegan