O 140514Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5829
INFO AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 
USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000094 
 
 
STATE FOR EUR/RPM AND SCA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2019 
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS AF NZ
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND WEIGHS AFGHANISTAN ASKS REQUEST 
 
REF: STATE 31102 
 
Classified By: Acting DCM Margaret McKean, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
 ¶1.  (C)  On April 8, Acting DCM and DATT met with Ministry 
of Defense and Ministry (MOD) of Foreign Affairs and Trade 
(MFAT) officials to present the overview of requested needs 
and specific asks for New Zealand.  (Note:  The Charge 
d'Affaires had earlier presented the list to MFAT Deputy 
Secretary Mike Green and Americas Desk Deputy Director 
Elizabeth Halliday on April 6 so that MFAT would have the 
list before New Zealand Foreign Minister McCully's April 7 
meeting with the Secretary in Washington.  End Note).  MOD 
officials explained that the GNZ is reviewing its 
contribution to Afghanistan in light of the new USG approach 
to Afghanistan and Pakistan and the call for the 
international community to do more to support both countries. 
 Although the review was to be concluded by the end of the 
June, MOD and MFAT officials agreed that the process could be 
accelerated and will keep us informed. 
 
¶2.  (C)  On encouraging the Japanese to provide more support 
in Afghanistan, MOD officials noted that the GNZ has 
continued to raise Afghanistan in Japan-NZ bilateral 
discussions but to little avail.  The GNZ has concluded that 
Japan's defense forces hide behind GOJ constitutional 
limitations because -- in GNZ opinion -- Japan's security 
forces lack self confidence and worry they may not be able to 
perform adequately in international security operations.  New 
Zealand has also discussed Afghanistan with the Malaysian 
government over the last 12 months but has not had a great 
deal of success.  The Malaysian government agreed to deploy 
to the Gulf of Aden to protect commercial vessels from 
pirates but only after being shamed into it by the presence 
of Chinese and Korean vessels.  Chinese business leaders in 
Malaysia complained, said MOD officials, and the Malaysian 
government was forced to respond in kind.  New Zealand will 
not have further opportunities for high-level dialogue with 
the Malaysians until the end of the year. 
 
¶3.  (C)  Post will continue to engage with the GNZ on 
Afghanistan and report the results of the government's 
internal review of its Afghanistan commitment when it has 
been concluded. 
 
 
KEEGAN