Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04WELLINGTON844
2004-10-06 19:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Wellington
Cable title:  

ASSISTANT SECRETARY JAMES A. KELLY'S AUGUST 8

Tags:  PGOV PREL ECON EFIS SENV NZ 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WELLINGTON 000844 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP
INL FOR ERINDLER
NSC FOR JONES, GREEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/06/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON EFIS SENV NZ
SUBJECT: ASSISTANT SECRETARY JAMES A. KELLY'S AUGUST 8
MEETING WITH NEW ZEALAND FOREIGN MINISTER PHIL GOFF AT
PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM IN APIA, SAMOA


Classified By: POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC COUNSELOR
KATHERINE B. HADDA, FOR REASONS 1.5(B,D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WELLINGTON 000844

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP
INL FOR ERINDLER
NSC FOR JONES, GREEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/06/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON EFIS SENV NZ
SUBJECT: ASSISTANT SECRETARY JAMES A. KELLY'S AUGUST 8
MEETING WITH NEW ZEALAND FOREIGN MINISTER PHIL GOFF AT
PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM IN APIA, SAMOA


Classified By: POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC COUNSELOR
KATHERINE B. HADDA, FOR REASONS 1.5(B,D)


1. (U) Summary: Assistant Secretary Kelly, accompanied by
Ambassador Swindells, Ed Rindler (INL) and notetaker, met
August 8, 2004 with New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff at
the Pacific Islands Forum in Apia, Samoa. A/S Kelly and Goff
discussed the deteriorating relationship between East Timor
and Indonesia, and the possibility of establishing either a
UN Commission of Experts or a Truth Commission in East Timor.
Kelly thanked Goff for the GoNZ's contributions in Iraq and
Afghanistan, urging NZ to consider alternative means of
assistance following the withdrawal of NZ military engineers
from Iraq in September. Goff noted that the GoNZ had
recently committed to an additional 12-month participation in
Afghanistan. Goff remarked that he was happy with the
progress being made on the U.S.-Australia Free Trade
Agreement (FTA,) and that the GoNZ was subduing its lobbying
efforts for an FTA until after the U.S. election in November.
End Summary.


East Timor
--------------


2. (C) Talking on human rights, Goff reiterated the GoNZ's
concern over the deteriorating relationship between East
Timor and Indonesia. Kelly noted that the USG also had
concerns about accountability, pointing to the failure of the
Ad Hoc Tribunal For East Timor Indonesian military, as
evidenced by the July decision to acquit four Indonesian
security guards charged with violence in East Timor in 1999.
Goff emphasized that the international community must set a
strong precedent for justice, and hold those who committed
crimes to account. He favored the establishment of an
International Crimes Tribunal for East Timor under UN
jurisdiction, but recognized that this was an unlikely
outcome, given limited international support for such
Tribunals in general. Barring a Tribunal, Goff outlined the
Kiwi fallback position - the creation of an East Timor Truth

Commission, which would "name and shame" transgressors. He
also discussed the possible creation of a UN Commission of
Experts (UNCOE.) Kelly agreed that the UN was far more
likely to support a Truth Commission than a Tribunal. He
added that a UNCOE was a necessary precursor to a Truth
Commission, and that both the scope and term of the UNCOE
should be limited. He offered to work with the GoNZ on any
of these suggestions, especially following the Indonesian
election in September. Goff lamented that the inexperience
of Yudhoyono's political base made decisive action on justice
in East Timor and autonomy in West Papua and Aceh unlikely.

Iraq and Afghanistan
--------------


3. (C) Kelly thanked Goff for the GoNZ's contributions to
OIF. He noted that security in the build-up to the UN-led
election would remain a substantial problem but that there
was now a clear distinction between imported and home-grown
fighters, and a growing feeling that Iraq is a sovereign
nation. Goff remarked that the 61 New Zealand military
engineers serving in Iraq would finish their rotation as
scheduled in late September but the GoNZ was willing to leave
future options open. He emphasized that although the GoNZ
would not leave Iraq in the middle of this critical period,
for operational reasons there are no immediate replacements
planned for the engineering contingent. Kelly urged Goff to
consider additional means of assistance following the
withdrawal of NZ military personnel. Kelly also thanked Goff
for the NZ-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in
Bamiyan. Goff pointed out that the GoNZ had reaffirmed their
commitment to Afghanistan for a further 12 months. He then
noted that voter registration in Afghanistan was going well,
with almost 8 million people on the electoral rolls. He
expressed concern, however, over President Karzai's ability
to control warlords and the drug trade, pointing to the
increasing trouble in Bamiyan with poppy production.

PNG
---


4. (SBU) Goff, in response to Kelly's query, noted that the
Government of Papua New Guinea would need continued pressure
to conform to the December 31 deadline for the UN Observer
Mission in Bougainville. Goff stated that there is no
suggestion of civil war erupting in the country, but the
infrastructure there remains inadequate.
Free Trade Agreement
--------------


5. (C) Goff remarked that he was happy with the progress
being made on the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA.)
He noted that NZ Ambassador to the U.S. John Wood was
confident of wide support in Congress for a U.S.-NZ FTA, but
that the GoNZ was reducing its lobbying efforts until after
the U.S. elections. He welcomed any USG assistance in
helping with the "psychological impact of investment
diversion" from NZ as a result of the U.S.-Australia FTA.
Kelly explained to Goff that the loss of fast-track authority
in the coming year would have a serious impact on all FTAs,
and that a new Trade Promotion Authority would be needed.
Goff noted that the GoNZ was pursuing a number of free trade
channels, including an ASEAN ) Australia/New Zealand FTA
beginning in November.

Attendees
--------------


6. U.S.:
A/S Kelly
Ambassador Swindells
Ed Rindler
Dorothy Rogers

New Zealand:
Foreign Minister Phil Goff
Amy Steffens, FM's Office
Rene Wilson, Director, Pacific Division, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Trade
Burnett