MOU WITH NEW ZEALAND REGARDING ZHELEZNOGORSK POWER

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000387 SIPDIS SIPDIS DOE FOR S-1 S-2 AND NA-1: BROOKS/AOKI/FREMONT NA-20: BAKER/BLACK NA-23: TURNER/CHACEY STATE FOR EAP/ANP, EUR/RUS, AND EB/ESC E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2016 TAGS: ENRG PARM OTRA RS KNNP TRGY NZ SUBJECT: MOU WITH NEW ZEALAND REGARDING ZHELEZNOGORSK POWER PLANT REF: STATE 78792 Classified By: DCM David R. Burnett, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) On May 18, 2006, PolCouns shared the revised MOU and talking points provided reftel with Deborah Panckhurst of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade's (MFAT) Disarmament Division. Panckhurst said that she has also been in contact with DOE's Mike Stafford about this issue. MFAT will respond to our changes once the Ministry lawyer involved with the MOU, Caroline Bilkey, has reviewed it. ¶2. (C) Panckhurst said NZ officials are concerned they will face public and opposition criticism if they cannot visit a taxpayer-funded assistance project. DOE has provided some indication that other donors have accepted similar restrictions, but additional information would be very helpful. ¶3. (C) We have also told Panckhurst that Embassy is willing to approach opposition parties at the highest levels as needed, to urge that they not make a political issue of this important project. McCormick