VZCZCXRO2168
PP RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHWL #0036 0381902
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 071902Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5050
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000036 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/ANP; EAP/RSP AND S/CT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2018 
TAGS: PREL MARR ASEAN NZ
SUBJECT: GNZ SHARES SIMILAR VIEWS ON ARF; PROSPECTS FOR 
REAL CHANGE REMAIN UNCERTAIN 
 
REF: STATE 8005 
 
Classified By: Pol/Econ Counselor Margaret B. McKean; Reason 1.4 (b) an 
d (d) 
 
 ¶1.  (C)  On February 7, Pol/Econ Counselor delivered reftel 
demarche material to Tim McIvor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
and Trade (MFAT) head of the Asia Regional Unit that deals 
with ARF and ASEAN affairs.  McIvor indicated that the GNZ 
had already supplied comments to the USG's ARF proposal to 
EAP/RSP.  McIvor underscored that New Zealand shares USG 
views on needed changes to the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). 
ARF, he said, needs to look afresh at its role and 
priorities.  He agreed that the organization needs to 
transition from a forum ("talk shop") to an activities-based 
organization that addresses issues of regional concern in 
cooperative fashion.  McIvor offered that Singapore should 
look at ARF more fundamentally than perhaps the GOS would 
like to.  Nevertheless, he sees Indonesia, Singapore, and 
Thailand as the likeliest countries within ASEAN to promote 
real reform. 
 
¶2.  (C)  McIvor agreed that the Friends of the ARF Chair has 
been a helpful mechanism; he also agreed with the USG 
proposal to split the ARF chair from the ASEAN chair, but 
argued strongly that the USG should clarify that the ARF 
chair would remain with another ASEAN nation -- otherwise, 
ASEAN will reject the concept to protect the primacy of ASEAN 
within ARF.  McIvor added that the notion that ASEAN has 
primacy within ARF is "a fiction," noting that ASEAN's 
partners continue to drive the organization.  ARF should have 
a vision statement, which will hopefully lead Singapore to 
review more closely how ARF can add value in a region that 
has a larger number of organizations with overlapping 
agendas.  He agreed that ARF should move past dialogue 
towards more practical activities, and urged that the 
activities be selected carefully to ensure maximum 
participation.  McIvor said that the ever-expanding number of 
ARF meetings has made it difficult for some countries to send 
representatives; even New Zealand is finding it challenging, 
he added. 
 
¶3.  (C)  On the USG-proposed Counter Terrorism and 
Transnational Crime (CTTC) workplan, McIvor said he would 
have to confer with MFAT colleagues who deal with 
counterterrorism (CT) issues -- most of whom are out of the 
country at the moment.  In principle, CT issues should be 
exactly what the ARF should be focused on, noted McIvor, who 
said he would study the proposed workplan. 
 
¶4.  (C)  Finally, concerning the ASEAN Defense Ministers 
Meeting Plus, McIvor said that New Zealand is waiting for a 
revised paper from Singapore and is consulting closely with 
the GOS on the issue.  MFAT has instructed its diplomatic 
missions in ASEAN countries to stay in touch with their 
Singaporean counterparts on reactions by host country 
governments.  Singapore has recommended that the Plus 
mechanism include EAS members plus the United States, offered 
McIvor. 
MCCORMICK