VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWL #0081 0560514
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 250514Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0431
INFO RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000081 
 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR EAP (A/S CAMPBELL, DAS REED), EAP/ANP 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO DOD OSD (DASD SCHER, MARY BETH MORGAN) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/02/25 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR NZ
SUBJECT: PM Key on Media Strategy after Military Review Briefing; His 
Prospective Bilateral Visit 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Robert J Clarke, Charge' d Affaires, State, 
Wellington; REASON: 1.4(B), (D) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary:  On February 22, the Ambassador accompanied  a 
Washington visitor to a " courtesy call" on Prime Minister (PM) 
John Key which turned into an hour plus discussion.  PM Key noted 
that he (in contrast to MFAT) was not concerned about immediately 
devising a "media strategy" after the recent briefing on the USG 
review of bilateral military relations delivered by DAS Frankie 
Reed and DASD Bob Scher.  He expressed confidence that he could 
handle any related questions if they came up (which they have not 
in several encounters with the media that the PM has subsequently 
had).  Key also raised the topic of a bilateral visit to the 
Washington DC in a manner that indicated how important confirming 
the visit for June is to him.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
MILITARY REVIEW RESULTS--NO IMMEDIATE MEDIA STRATEGY NECESSARY 
 
 
 
 ¶2. (C) PM Key is not worried about immediately developing a media 
strategy and common press guidance on results of the U.S. review of 
bilateral military relations.  These results had been 
confidentially briefed to the Foreign Affairs (MFAT) and Defense 
ministries by DAS Reed and DASD Scher on February 18.  Key said he 
did not expect questions to come up about the military review until 
a specific event, such as announcement of a rescheduled visit by 
the Secretary, or his own trip to the United States, got reporters 
focused on that long-standing topic.  If he did receive questions, 
Key said, he was comfortable talking in general terms about the 
on-going, developing bilateral relationship and referring reporters 
with any questions on the military review to U.S.  authorities. 
(Note and comment:  Key's  attitude is precisely opposite to that 
of MFAT which has been arguing that a pro-active press strategy 
(i.e. a US-authorized press line) is needed now.  Since February 
22, the PM has had several encounters with the press and no 
questions on the military review came up.  End note and comment.) 
 
 
 
PM KEY STILL HOPES FOR A JUNE BILATERAL VISIT TO WASHINGTON 
 
 
 
¶3. (C) PM Key also lobbied for an early decision on a pending 
bilateral visit to Washington DC.  He did so in a way that began 
indirectly but ended by underscoring for the Ambassador the 
importance to the Prime Minister of fixing a date, preferably (for 
him) of June 2010.  He claimed that he was not merely focused on 
that aspect of US-NZ relations,  and understood that President 
Obama was busy,  and knew that final decisions on scheduling dates 
would eventually be made.   However, after the circuitous lead-in, 
Key explained why combining a bilateral visit with the April 2010 
Nuclear Security Summit (which he will attend) would  not work.  He 
recounted the conversations at APEC which led  him to believe he 
had a firm invitation from POTUS for a separate bilateral visit in 
the first half of 2010 (i.e. NLT June).  Key said the exchanges 
resulted in him briefing the press in a certain way about the 
"invitation," which he said he would not have done if he had 
thought the offer were actually more casual and indefinite. 
Expectations in NZ were set, Key said, and the matter potentially 
could turn into a political embarrassment for him.  Key noted that 
his June schedule was  "still empty." 
 
 
 
¶4. (C) Comment:  The  manner in which PM Key pitched the bilateral 
visit indicated to the Ambassador that nailing down a June visit is 
of intense importance to Key.  The Ambassador gathered from the 
exchange that June is being held open by the GNZ in hopes of a 
confirmation for a bilateral visit then in the near future.  Key, 
who has not previously raised this topic personally (leaving that 
to FM McCully and MFAT) clearly hoped his explanation might result 
in an early confirmation for June.  End Comment. 
CLARKE