NEW ZEALAND'S VIEWS ON WORLD HUNGER SUMMIT

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000798 SIPDIS STATE FOR EB AND EAP/ANP E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: EAID EFIN ECON PREL NZ SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND'S VIEWS ON WORLD HUNGER SUMMIT REF: STATE 197337 ¶1. Post on September 16 delivered reftel demarche regarding the World Leaders Meeting on Action Against Hunger and Poverty to Phillip Taula of the New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID). The demarche shared U.S. concerns about a draft declaration and a technical paper released by the summit's sponsors. ¶2. Taula said that, although the New Zealand government still is considering its position ahead of the meeting, it shares a number of the United States' concerns, including the papers' lack of a balanced view of development and the lack of other important aspects embodied in the Monterrey Consensus. ¶3. The New Zealand government has not studied the technical report in detail, although it does not have problems with its general language. Taula said New Zealand was taking a cautious approach to the U.K.-proposed International Finance Facility. Before taking a position, it is awaiting additional information, particularly the results of World Bank studies. ¶4. New Zealand will be represented at the summit by its permanent representative to the UN, Don McKay. Burnett