GNZ ON NATO/ISAF REQUESTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000442 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/FO, EAP/FO, SA/FO, EUR/RPM, EAP/ANP, SCA/A E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/2017 TAGS: NATO PINS PREL MOPS MARR AF NZ SUBJECT: GNZ ON NATO/ISAF REQUESTS REF: STATE 71547 Classified By: Acting DCM Katherine B. Hadda, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Acting DCM and A/P-E couns delivered reftel request to Paul Ash, Deputy Director of the Security Policy and Disarmament Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. We conveyed Washington's appreciation for New Zealand's continued positive role in Afghanistan. ¶2. (C) Ash said that although New Zealand cannot commit addtional military forces, GNZ officials will review the request list carefully to see if there are any possible contributions that the GNZ can make. He also said that New Zealand is about to start its annual Cabinet-level review of Peacekeeping Operations. One goal of this year's review will be to improve coordination among Ministries so that all NZ officials are better informed about -- and can better explain to us -- New Zealand's military and non-military contributions to global PKO activities. ¶3. (C) FYI: Ash will leave Wellington in December for Brussels, where he will serve as NZ's Deputy Chief of Mission. End FYI. MCCORMICK