NEW ZEALAND OFFERS INFORMATION ON PASSENGER-

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000718

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EB/TRA/OTP, S/CT AND EAP/ANP
SYDNEY FOR TSA REPRESENTATIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR PTER NZ
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND OFFERS INFORMATION ON PASSENGER-
SCREENING SYSTEM



1. This is an action request; please see Paragraph 3.


2. In response to the Department of Homeland Security's
intent to expand the Advanced Passenger Information System
(APIS),the New Zealand government has offered to provide
the U.S. government with information and a demonstration on
the Australian-developed Advanced Passenger Processing
system. New Zealand uses the system, which allows for
passengers to be screened at the time of check-in, and
believes it would benefit U.S. border security without
posing a heavy burden on air carriers.


3. Action requested: Would TSA be interested in receiving
information and a demonstration on the Advanced Passenger
Processing system? Post would be grateful for guidance on
how to respond to the New Zealand government's offer.


4. Meanwhile, the New Zealand government intends to join a
demarche to the State Department expressing concern about
the expansion of APIS to require air carriers to collect
information from passengers not already contained in their
machine-readable passports. New Zealand is worried about
the impact on airline operations. New Zealand also would be
concerned should the Department of Homeland Security decide
to go through with its previous plan to require airlines to
submit data on passengers to U.S. Customs and Border
Protection at least an hour before departure.

BURNETT