NEW ZEALAND'S POSITION ON OECD SEC GEN SELECTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000876 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/ERA AND EAP/ANP E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/2015 TAGS: ETRD ECON EFIN NZ OECD SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND'S POSITION ON OECD SEC GEN SELECTION REF: SECSTATE 204906 (U) Classified by Political-Economic Counselor Katherine B. Hadda. Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d). (C) New Zealand agrees with the United States and believes Jose Angel Gurria to be the best candidate for Secretary General of the OECD. While New Zealand also sees both candidates -- Gurria and Marek Belka -- as qualified, it considers Gurria as more capable. Its preference for Gurria is merit-based and not politically motivated. Post discussed reftel points on November 9 with Koro Dickinson in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Economic Division. McCormick