NEW ZEALAND ENDORSES JOINT STATEMENT BY

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000759 SIPDIS FOR G AND EAP/ANP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO EAGR ECON KSCA PREL SOCI NZ WHO SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND ENDORSES JOINT STATEMENT BY INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP ON AVIAN AND PANDEMIC INFLUENZA REF: A. STATE 180478 ¶B. STATE 175585 ¶C. WELLINGTON 704 ¶1. The New Zealand government supports the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza and would welcome being included in the Joint Statement to be issued by the partnership (ref B). ¶2. Post on September 26 delivered ref A talking points and Joint Statement to the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and to the External Assessments Bureau, which is in the Prime Minister's office and has been following the avian flu epidemic (ref C). On September 30, Rosemary Paterson, director of MFAT's Consular Division, notified post of her government's support of the partnership and its agreement to New Zealand's name being included on the release of the Joint Statement. ¶3. Paterson also noted that the New Zealand delegation to the partnership's Senior Officials meeting October 6-7 in Washington will be led by New Zealand's Ambassador to the United States, John Wood. The delegation will include Paterson and possibly one other member of the New Zealand Embassy. ¶4. Rosemary Paterson's title and contact details are: Director, Consular Division, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; tel 64-4-439-8044; fax 64-4-439-8532; e-mail Rosemary.Paterson@mfat.govt.nz. ¶5. Post has provided Paterson with a copy of the notional agenda (ref A). Burnett