NEW ZEALAND: 2004 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 001069 SIPDIS STATE FOR S/CT KINCANNON AND MCCUTCHEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER ASEC KCRM EFIN KHLS KPAO NZ SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND: 2004 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT REF: A. STATE 271719 ¶B. STATE 245841 ¶C. STATE 259427 ¶1. Post offers the following submission for this year's terrorism report: BEGIN TEXT OF SUBMISSION ¶2. New Zealand has implemented all 12 UN terrorism conventions. A Counter-terrorism bill passed in October 2003 increased the government's ability to prosecute terrorist activities and threats. The legislation ascribes severe penalties for dealing with unmarked plastics explosives and nuclear or radioactive material, harboring terrorists, contaminating food or water, and other terrorism-related offenses. The 2003 bill follows directly from the Terrorism Suppression Act of October 2002, which allowed New Zealand to become a party to the UN Conventions on Terrorism Bombings and Terrorist Financing. ¶3. In December 2004, the Government introduced a bill into Parliament to extend by two years New Zealand's UN Security Council-related designations of terrorism organizations. As passed, the 2002 bill mandates that all such designations expire in 2005 unless renewed by order of New Zealand's High Court. The new bill would push that date to 2007. As of December 2004, New Zealand had designated 420 terrorist organizations and was considering adding more to the list. ¶4. In September 2003, New Zealand appointed its first Ambassador for Counter-terrorism to coordinate New Zealand's response to terrorist acts, monitor international developments, and attend international meetings, in order to ensure that New Zealand has a stronger capacity to develop and implement policies on global terrorism and related security issues. In its 2004 budget, New Zealand allocated funds for the creation of specially-dedicated National Security Teams to counter terrorism. In May 2004, New Zealand hosted a counter-terrorism meeting for Pacific Island Forum members. The meeting, which was funded through the Government's Pacific Island Security Fund, discussed the region's counter-terrorism obligations and the range of international assistance available to help countries meet these requirements. ¶5. New Zealand relies heavily on its aviation sector for tourism and to remain connected to the rest of the world, and takes seriously its security obligations under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). New Zealand expects to have ICAO-mandated explosive detection systems in place at New Zealand's international airports by October 2005. ¶6. New Zealand continues to support Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, including by leading the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Bamiyan. The country deployed 61 military engineers (the Light Engineering Group, or LEG) to Iraq for one year to aid in reconstruction efforts there. The Government allocated NZD 10 million (about USD 7.2 million) for each of fiscal years 2003/4 and 2004/5 for aid and development work in Afghanistan and Iraq. The money was disbursed through the PRT's and LEG's reconstruction work, as well as through the UN and NGOs. END TEXT OF SUBMISSION. Swindells