VZCZCXRO5591
PP RUEHPB
DE RUEHWL #0015/01 0180337
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 180337Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5009
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0377
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0066
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 5073
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI 0057
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0049
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0174
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0176
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0309
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 0708
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0278
RUEHSV/AMEMBASSY SUVA 0698
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0061
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 WELLINGTON 000015 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/ANP; OSD FOR JESSICA POWERS 
STATE ALSO FOR H - JREDDY AND CAUSTIN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2018 
TAGS: PREL KGHG MOPS MARR AF NK NZ
SUBJECT: CODEL HOYER MEETS WITH GNZ LEADERSHIP 
 
Classified By: DCM David Keegan for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary.  On January 9, a 13-member Congressional 
delegation led by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) 
and Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) met with Deputy and Acting 
Prime Minister Michael Cullen and Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
and Trade (MFAT) Chief Executive Simon Murdoch to discuss 
bilateral priorities and issues of common interest.  The 
cordial discussion covered NZ/US bilateral relations, global 
climate change, trade, the south pacific islands, Asia, 
Afghanistan, North Korea, domestic politics and the 
respective roles of NZ and the US in world affairs.  End 
Summary. 
 
Bilateral Relations Growing 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On January 9, a 13-member Congressional delegation 
led by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Minority 
Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) met with Deputy and Acting Prime 
Minister Michael Cullen and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and 
Trade (MFAT) Chief Executive Simon Murdoch to discuss 
bilateral priorities and issues of common interest.  Also 
attending were Charge d'Affaires David Keegan, former NZ 
ambassador to the US Dr. John Wood, MFAT Americas Deputy 
Director Elizabeth Halliday, Poloff, and Codel staff.  In 
opening remarks, both sides agreed that the two countries 
have a close bilateral relationship, that the relationship is 
becoming stronger, and that the USG and GNZ have many common 
interests.  "Though," according to Cullen, "we may sometimes 
differ in our approaches." 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Cullen began his remarks to the delegation by 
citing the interests which the US and NZ have in common: 
 
- International security (including terrorism, security 
within the South Pacific islands, and the growing influence 
of the PRC and Taiwan); 
- Climate Change (including energy security and development 
of alternative energy sources); 
- Agriculture and trade (noting that NZ desires greater trade 
liberalization with the US); and 
- Antarctica 
 
Climate Change and Genetic Modification 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Cullen expressed his desire that the US and NZ 
should develop a joint perspective on what should happen 
after the Kyoto Protocol expires, and that the two countries 
should work to resolve climate change issues while allowing 
the third world to develop. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) On the subject of genetic modification (GM) 
technology and how it could contribute toward resolving 
climate change issues, Cullen admitted that there is some 
disagreement within New Zealand regarding the use of GM 
technology.  However, he added that "we will risk losing 
traction on research and technology development unless we 
take hold of GM technology." 
 
The South Pacific Islands 
------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (C) Cullen described the South Pacific as "a region of 
increasing political instability, for example Tonga and 
Fiji."  While the islands in this region may be small -- 
these states can be channels for undesirable activities, such 
as drug trafficking and money laundering.  The island 
governments lack the resources and personnel to adequately 
prevent or investigate such activities and are especially 
vulnerable during periods of political instability.  "These 
small island nations can barely manage their own 
governments," he said, "and they have no systems to control 
illegal financing opportunities." 
 
WELLINGTON 00000015  002 OF 004 
 
 
 
¶7.  (C) With respect to the potential for terrorism, Cullen 
suggested that the South Pacific islands are not likely to 
provide recruits for terrorists from within.  Rather, those 
recruits will come from Indonesia and Malaysia, he said. 
However, such small island states are extremely susceptible 
to being used by terrorist organizations as a conduit for 
their finances. 
 
¶8.  (C) Representative Bordallo (R-Guam) asked for the GNZ 
perspective on the "dollar diplomacy" occurring in the 
pacific island region.  Cullen stated that there are two 
aspects of the issue.  First, there is a growing involvement 
in the region by the PRC and Taiwan as they vie for political 
support in the UN.  Second, there is a broader geopolitical 
question: "The Pacific is a large space out there that may be 
important some day, and how do we position ourselves?"  As a 
result, stated Cullen, the GNZ is concerned that the region 
is becoming "a place for great power rivalries."  That places 
a duty on NZ, the US, France and Australia to assist 
governments in the region, "particularly in governance and 
the infrastructure for governance." 
 
Asia -- NZ and US Roles 
----------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Hoyer asked about the influence of mainland Asia in 
the South Pacific region.  According to Murdoch, NZ is 
finding itself more closely involved in Asia and NZ is 
"constantly drawn into the Asian architecture."  Australia is 
even more involved as a result of its closer geographic and 
economic connections with Asia.  And that, according to 
Cullen, poses a danger for NZ because "unless we're with 
Australia, we're very isolated." 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Murdoch credited the past involvement of the US as 
the reason for Asia's current development.  That demonstrates 
what US influence in Asia can do, he added.  Moreover, 
Murdoch stated that "there is a lot of desire for the US to 
be more involved in Asia" and there are "tons of scope" for 
further US influence. 
 
Afghanistan 
----------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Hoyer asked for the NZ perspective on the current 
state of affairs in Afghanistan.  Cullen stated that NZ 
shares Australian Prime Minister Rudd's view that it is 
difficult to establish a democracy in a country with such 
strong tribal traditions.  Murdoch added that NZ established 
the first non-US Provincial Reconstruction Team in 
Afghanistan and that "our guys have received more fire in the 
last four months than in the last four years." 
 
North Korea -- NZ's Supporting Role 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶12.  (C) Blunt expressed US appreciation for the GNZ's role 
on North Korea.  Cullen stated that it was an opportunity to 
work with the USG in accomplishing a common goal, which the 
two countries have shared for years.  Cullen added that it is 
also a good example of how the USG can work together with 
other countries in a multilateral framework.  According to 
Murdoch, the DPRK must be shown the "goody bag" of benefits 
that could result from normal relations with the world, and 
the GNZ is perfectly positioned to fulfill that role, rather 
than the US, Russia or Japan, which have less credibility 
with the DPRK.  "That is the kind of role we see ourselves 
playing," said Murdoch.  When asked by Representative Granger 
(R-TX) how the GNZ came to assume that role with respect to 
North Korea, Murdoch replied it was at the invitation and 
with the encouragement of the USG and, in particular, 
Secretary Rice. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NZ's Role in World Affairs 
 
WELLINGTON 00000015  003 OF 004 
 
 
-------------------------- 
 
¶13.  (SBU) Cullen commented on the role of the NZ armed 
forces, stating that NZ has limited capacity to mount a 
high-level, high-tech military force.  Consequently, NZ has, 
out of necessity, developed a low-tech army with highly 
professional special services, and a naval and air capacity 
sufficient for patrolling its "own patch" ) i.e., its EEZ, 
NZ's associated islands, and supporting its base in 
Antarctica.  Use of those forces for other purposes has been 
limited, such as in East Timor and Afghanistan. 
 
¶14.  (SBU) Hoyer inquired whether NZ sees an opportunity to 
engage with the new leadership in Europe, specifically with 
UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, German Chancellor Angela 
Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Russian leader 
Vladimir Putin.  Cullen agreed and stated that Sarkozy is not 
defensive but rather willing to engage and develop relations 
with the US (which is good from the NZ perspective, he added, 
as France is a player in the Pacific).  PM Clark, he added, 
has developed a good personal relationship with Merkel. 
Hoyer commented that all four leaders want to play on the 
world stage and that engagement with Europe is a must. 
Moreover, Hoyer suggested, NZ can play a role in engaging 
with those governments. 
 
¶15.  (SBU) Hoyer asked what impact the upcoming NZ elections 
may have on NZ foreign policy.  Cullen expressed his opinion 
that if there is a change of government, there would be 
little change in foreign policy.  Most changes would be on 
the domestic front, he said. 
 
The US Role in World Affairs 
---------------------------- 
 
¶16.  (SBU) Representative Chandler (D-KY) noted the loss of 
US popularity in the world and asked for ideas on how to 
reverse that perception.  Cullen commented that, as a 
historian, he tends to take a long-term view.  The US is 
number one now, he said, but the chances of remaining in that 
position by 2100 are slim.  He suggested that the US should 
develop and implement international rules and practices "that 
will be there when you are no longer number one."  He 
mentioned, as an example, endorsement of the international 
criminal court, which would be "a signal to the world."  He 
cautioned that the US should avoid being regarded in the same 
way as the Australian cricket team, where "the rules are not 
quite symmetrical." 
 
Domestic Politics 
----------------- 
 
¶17.  (C) With respect to the NZ's current domestic political 
environment, Cullen commented that there is a certain 
sentiment among New Zealanders that the Labour Party has been 
in power long enough and that Johnny (National Party leader 
John Keys) "should have a chance at bat."  However, he added, 
even though the polls seem to be in Keys' favor, "you never 
know what rabbits the wily old curmudgeons (i.e., Labour) can 
pull out of what hats." 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶18.  (SBU) The Codel arrived during the peak of the NZ summer 
when school was out, most New Zealanders were on vacation and 
celebrating the holidays, and the GNZ was, for all practical 
purposes, shut down.  In spite of this, the GNZ pulled out 
all the stops to provide Codel Hoyer with a meaningful 
program of meetings and activities ) with some government 
officials coming in from planned vacations to meet with the 
Codel.  This effort illustrates the GNZ's high regard for, 
and interest in further development of, its longstanding and 
productive relationship with the US. 
 
 
WELLINGTON 00000015  004 OF 004 
 
 
¶19.  (U)  Codel Hoyer did not have an opportunity to clear 
this message before departure. 
MCCORMICK