Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07WELLINGTON774
2007-10-25 19:06:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Wellington
Cable title:
BURMA DEMARCHES DELIVERED TO GNZ
how-toVZCZCXRO9523 OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM DE RUEHWL #0774 2981906 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 251906Z OCT 07 FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4826 INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 5005 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0148 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0300 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 0272 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0669 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0102
UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000774
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/ANP, EAP/MLS AARON COPE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL KDEM NZ BM
SUBJECT: BURMA DEMARCHES DELIVERED TO GNZ
REF: A. A) STATE 148540
B. B) STATE 148528
C. C) STATE 146862
UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000774
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/ANP, EAP/MLS AARON COPE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL KDEM NZ BM
SUBJECT: BURMA DEMARCHES DELIVERED TO GNZ
REF: A. A) STATE 148540
B. B) STATE 148528
C. C) STATE 146862
1. (SBU) Pol/Econ Counselor passed the information and
suggestions outlined in reftel demarches to Bernadette
Cavanagh, who recently began work as the Head of the
Southeast Asia Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Trade (MFAT). Cavanagh thanked the Embassy for the update on
the latest USG actions and the websites provided in reftel C;
she also appreciated the proposals outlined in reftels A and
B, as the GNZ is still in the process of preparing a paper
for Ministers on next steps in addressing the violence and
continued persecution of pro-democracy activists in Burma.
2. (SBU) Cavanagh proposed meeting next week following the
submission of the MFAT paper, so that she could provide a
fuller brief on New Zealand's thinking. We note that there
has been some reaction in the press to the GNZ reaction to
date, with criticism from the Green Party and others over the
lack of strong GNZ action other than tough words and press
statements. One press article from October 5 noted that the
Government's NZD 13.1 billion New Zealand Superannuation Fund
has acknowledged that some of the companies (France's Total
SA, China Petroleum and Chemical/Sinopec, and Malaysia's
Petronas) it invests in have operations in Burma; another
Chinese company is also reportedly receiving investment funds
from the Fund. A Fund spokeswoman has said that if sanctions
were applied, the Fund would review its investments.
However, MFAT has told us that New Zealand domestic law makes
application of sanctions difficult in the absence of a UN
sanctions resolution.
McCormick
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/ANP, EAP/MLS AARON COPE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL KDEM NZ BM
SUBJECT: BURMA DEMARCHES DELIVERED TO GNZ
REF: A. A) STATE 148540
B. B) STATE 148528
C. C) STATE 146862
1. (SBU) Pol/Econ Counselor passed the information and
suggestions outlined in reftel demarches to Bernadette
Cavanagh, who recently began work as the Head of the
Southeast Asia Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Trade (MFAT). Cavanagh thanked the Embassy for the update on
the latest USG actions and the websites provided in reftel C;
she also appreciated the proposals outlined in reftels A and
B, as the GNZ is still in the process of preparing a paper
for Ministers on next steps in addressing the violence and
continued persecution of pro-democracy activists in Burma.
2. (SBU) Cavanagh proposed meeting next week following the
submission of the MFAT paper, so that she could provide a
fuller brief on New Zealand's thinking. We note that there
has been some reaction in the press to the GNZ reaction to
date, with criticism from the Green Party and others over the
lack of strong GNZ action other than tough words and press
statements. One press article from October 5 noted that the
Government's NZD 13.1 billion New Zealand Superannuation Fund
has acknowledged that some of the companies (France's Total
SA, China Petroleum and Chemical/Sinopec, and Malaysia's
Petronas) it invests in have operations in Burma; another
Chinese company is also reportedly receiving investment funds
from the Fund. A Fund spokeswoman has said that if sanctions
were applied, the Fund would review its investments.
However, MFAT has told us that New Zealand domestic law makes
application of sanctions difficult in the absence of a UN
sanctions resolution.
McCormick