Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06WELLINGTON234
2006-03-27 05:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Wellington
Cable title:
APPROACH TO NEW ZEALAND ON ISRAEL/JUSCANZ
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHWL #0234 0860531 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 270531Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2574 INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 4353 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA IMMEDIATE 0263 RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV IMMEDIATE 0029 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 0466 RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000234
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR D (FRITZ),EAP/FO, IO/SHA, NEA/IPA, AND EAP/ANP
NSC FOR VICTOR CHA
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISA LIZ PHU
PACOM FOR JO1E/J2/J233/J5/SJFHQ
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM NZ
SUBJECT: APPROACH TO NEW ZEALAND ON ISRAEL/JUSCANZ
REF: STATE 36771
Classified By: Ambassador William McCormick,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000234
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR D (FRITZ),EAP/FO, IO/SHA, NEA/IPA, AND EAP/ANP
NSC FOR VICTOR CHA
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISA LIZ PHU
PACOM FOR JO1E/J2/J233/J5/SJFHQ
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM NZ
SUBJECT: APPROACH TO NEW ZEALAND ON ISRAEL/JUSCANZ
REF: STATE 36771
Classified By: Ambassador William McCormick,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Summary: As requested reftel, Ambassador McCormick
and the Australian and Canadian High Commissioners called on
Foreign Minister Peters to urge that New Zealand support
Israeli membership in the Geneva JUSCANZ group. Peters
promised to discuss the issue with Prime Minister Clark, and
we are hopeful GNZ's position will change. As Peters is on
travel again this week, Post will follow up with Foreign
Ministry staff. End Summary.
2. (C) When post received reftel, Foreign Minister Winston
Peters was on travel and our Australian and Canadian
counterparts had not yet been issued instructions from their
respective capitols. In order to get more background on
GNZ's position, Pol-Econ Counselor quietly raised the issue
on March 10 with Val Meyer, Director of the Human Rights
Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Meyer
said that New Zealand officials were making a stand as a
point of principle. They view JUSCANZ as a group of
"like-minded" countries united on Human Rights issues, and
believe Israel is not sufficiently "like-minded", she said.
NZ's Geneva rep has also reported that other JUSCANZ members
were opposed to Israel's joining JUSCANZ, but as these
members are from small delegations they haven't spoken up.
(Meyer declined to name the countries.) She admitted that
Ministers had given clear guidance to the Geneva rep that NZ
should not continue to block Israel's admission if there is
consensus among other JUSCANZ members that Israel should
join.
3. (C) Meanwhile, DCM discussed our concerns with Hamish
Cooper, Minister Peter's Private Secretary. Cooper pushed
back a bit, but seemed very interested to learn that NZ was
apparently isolated in its views.
4. (C) On March 25, the Ambassador called on Minister
Peters, together with Australian High Commission John Dauth
and Canadian High Commissioner Penny Reedie. The Ambassador
raised the general issue of anti-Israel discrimination in the
UN. Dauth, who has just come to Wellington following a term
as Australia's UN Perm Rep in New York, gave a number of
examples, including the UN Racism Conference in South Africa.
The COMs also indicated that New Zealand is effectively
standing alone in strongly opposing Israel's membership in
JUSCANZ.
5. (C) Peters said he would discuss the matter with the
Prime Minister. He implied he did not think New Zealand
would have a problem with changing its stance. Post is
hopeful we may see a change in the policy, although as Peters
is now again on travel things may slip a bit. We will
continue to follow up with MFAT staff and report back on
GNZ's decision once it is taken.
McCormick
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR D (FRITZ),EAP/FO, IO/SHA, NEA/IPA, AND EAP/ANP
NSC FOR VICTOR CHA
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISA LIZ PHU
PACOM FOR JO1E/J2/J233/J5/SJFHQ
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM NZ
SUBJECT: APPROACH TO NEW ZEALAND ON ISRAEL/JUSCANZ
REF: STATE 36771
Classified By: Ambassador William McCormick,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Summary: As requested reftel, Ambassador McCormick
and the Australian and Canadian High Commissioners called on
Foreign Minister Peters to urge that New Zealand support
Israeli membership in the Geneva JUSCANZ group. Peters
promised to discuss the issue with Prime Minister Clark, and
we are hopeful GNZ's position will change. As Peters is on
travel again this week, Post will follow up with Foreign
Ministry staff. End Summary.
2. (C) When post received reftel, Foreign Minister Winston
Peters was on travel and our Australian and Canadian
counterparts had not yet been issued instructions from their
respective capitols. In order to get more background on
GNZ's position, Pol-Econ Counselor quietly raised the issue
on March 10 with Val Meyer, Director of the Human Rights
Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Meyer
said that New Zealand officials were making a stand as a
point of principle. They view JUSCANZ as a group of
"like-minded" countries united on Human Rights issues, and
believe Israel is not sufficiently "like-minded", she said.
NZ's Geneva rep has also reported that other JUSCANZ members
were opposed to Israel's joining JUSCANZ, but as these
members are from small delegations they haven't spoken up.
(Meyer declined to name the countries.) She admitted that
Ministers had given clear guidance to the Geneva rep that NZ
should not continue to block Israel's admission if there is
consensus among other JUSCANZ members that Israel should
join.
3. (C) Meanwhile, DCM discussed our concerns with Hamish
Cooper, Minister Peter's Private Secretary. Cooper pushed
back a bit, but seemed very interested to learn that NZ was
apparently isolated in its views.
4. (C) On March 25, the Ambassador called on Minister
Peters, together with Australian High Commission John Dauth
and Canadian High Commissioner Penny Reedie. The Ambassador
raised the general issue of anti-Israel discrimination in the
UN. Dauth, who has just come to Wellington following a term
as Australia's UN Perm Rep in New York, gave a number of
examples, including the UN Racism Conference in South Africa.
The COMs also indicated that New Zealand is effectively
standing alone in strongly opposing Israel's membership in
JUSCANZ.
5. (C) Peters said he would discuss the matter with the
Prime Minister. He implied he did not think New Zealand
would have a problem with changing its stance. Post is
hopeful we may see a change in the policy, although as Peters
is now again on travel things may slip a bit. We will
continue to follow up with MFAT staff and report back on
GNZ's decision once it is taken.
McCormick