Ambassador Herbst Discusses Stabilization/Reconstruction

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 WELLINGTON 000839 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR EAP/ANP PACOM FOR J01E/J2/J233/J5/SJFHQ E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV EAID KDEM NZ SUBJECT: Ambassador Herbst Discusses Stabilization/Reconstruction Issues with GNZ Officials ¶1. (U) Summary. During a November 27 visit to New Zealand, S/CRS Ambassador Herbst met with a range of GNZ officials in the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs, as well as police and NZAID representatives to discuss his office's approach to coordinating USG resources in post-conflict states. Herbst offered to include GNZ officials in future S/CRS exercises. GNZ reps welcomed Ambassador Herbst's remarks, noting that the Cabinet Ministers on November 19 approved a whole-of-government approach to NZ peace support operations. End Summary. New Zealand Opts for Whole-of-Government Approach -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) Ambassador John Herbst visited New Zealand on November 27, and briefed GNZ officials on the role of S/CRS as a coordinating office for marshalling USG resources and personnel to help in reconstruction activities. Meetings included officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade - notably the divisions handling the Americas and the Pacific Islands as well as the International Security and Disarmament Division),the Ministry of Defense (where the Ambassador met with Admiral Jack Steer and International Defense Relations Head Paul Sinclair),Jackie Goodwin, Manager of the International Strategy and Policy office for the New Zealand Police, and NZAID officials led by Global Group Director Don Clarke. Policy Officer Richard Prendergast of MFAT's International Security and Disarmament (ISD) Division noted that the Ambassador's visit was particularly timely, as the Cabinet Ministers on November 19 approved a whole-of-government approach to NZ peace support operations, and MFAT's ISD office has responsibilities similar to S/CRS as the coordinating body. ¶3. (U) Ambassador Herbst briefed GNZ officials on the USG shift to transformational diplomacy and consequent changes in deployment of State Department personnel. The Ambassador explained that S/CRS is one subset of transformational diplomacy and was established in 2004 in the aftermath of USG interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Due to the complexities of nation building in post-conflict countries, the Ambassador continued, the USG is looking for a different model to coordinate the array of USG agency resources and personnel needed for such challenges. The need is for a whole-of-government approach. The UK and Canada have offices similar to S/CRS. He explained USG-approved proposals for creating an Interagency Management System and a Civilian Response Capability. The Ambassador summarized recent meetings in Korea, Japan and China where he briefed both governments on S/CRS activities. S/CRS has an ongoing dialogue with the UN's Peace Building Support Office. ¶4. (U) GNZ officials welcomed Ambassador Herbst's remarks, and discussed New Zealand's work in Timor Leste, the Solomon Islands, and Afghanistan. NZ officials related that New Zealand's primary role in each country is security and stabilization, but all have an important civilian component as well. While internal New Zealand government coordinating meetings occur, both in the field and in Wellington, all agreed it was done on an ad hoc basis. Moving to a whole-of-government approach will provide a more formal policy framework for giving coherence to New Zealand's peace support operations. NZ Police representative Jackie Goodwin noted that police deployments overseas are still relatively new for the GNZ; 167 police are now overseas and there is demand for additional officers. The MOD's Paul Sinclair added that New Zealand's interventions have been militarily robust, but the military cannot do police functions well nor can defense forces manage assistance/development programs. NZ Deployments in Timor, SI, and Afghanistan -------------- ¶5. (SBU) In Timor Leste, GNZ officials told Ambassador Herbst that New Zealand has been involved since 1999 and all government agencies are represented. There are roughly 180 troops and two helicopters as part of the Australian green helmet contingent, three Defense Ministry staff with the UN mission, 25 New Zealand police officers, and the NZAID mission has both a bilateral and multilateral program. There are regular meetings in Dili under the NZ Ambassador's leadership but there are different sets of decisions made by each respective GNZ element - the whole-of-government approach will unify that process, explained MFAT officials. ¶6. (SBU) In the Solomon Islands, New Zealand plays a significant WELLINGTON 00000839 002 OF 002 role in the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI),which has a combined security force and civilian mission. Similar to Timor Leste, the GNZ is represented on the ground by all the agencies, but coordination remains ad hoc and decision-making runs along separate agency lines. NZAID officials noted that their largest bilateral program is managed in the Solomon Islands, where NZ is working with Australia and other donors to improve the education sector. Both Timor and SI illustrated to New Zealand that stabilization efforts are not in-and-out scenarios, but long-term security and civilian capacity-building commitments. ¶7. (SBU) GNZ officials see the whole-of-government approach benefiting New Zealand efforts considerably in Afghanistan, where the NZ military has been involved since 2003 in Bamiyan. NZ police are present with the New Zealand-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT),but NZAID officials make two visits per year of 4-6 weeks each. MFAT's Mideast senior policy officer David Irwin noted that coordination was made even more difficult because New Zealand lacks an Embassy in Kabul; Afghanistan is covered by their mission in Tehran. Paul Sinclair/MOD said that Bamiyan, despite recent security concerns, remains largely stable and supportive of the NZ presence; the MOD hopes that NZAID will provide permanent staff but NZAID officials were less enthusiastic, noting resource constraints and lack of local capacity to build on in Bamiyan province. Continuing the Dialogue -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Ambassador Herbst noted that S/CRS provides workshops and exercises, and New Zealand might consider participation in future S/CRS-sponsored programs. ¶9. (SBU) MOD International Policy Director Wayne Higgins asked about general trip-wires or triggers that would prompt S/CRS deployments. Ambassador Herbst responded that S/CRS had done a paper enumerating triggers but stressed that any decision to engage would be a political one. GNZ officials asked if they could receive a copy of the paper. Herbst said he would check. He added that S/CRS does not always envision being part of a military intervention; there may be occasions where S/CRS would provide assistance so the U.S. military does not have to intervene. Higgins also queried the Ambassador regarding exit strategies and how S/CRS would define "success" and the appropriate handoff to either a local government or UN authority. Each country offers a different challenge, and success may be tailored to what is feasible according to varying yardsticks and cultural/historical traditions that meet core USG objectives, said Herbst. ¶10. (SBU) Comment. GNZ officials appreciated very much Ambassador Herbst's visit and presentation to relevant agencies and officials. Post would appreciate receiving the trigger/tripwire paper to pass to GNZ officials, if appropriate. GNZ officials would also appreciate being kept appraised of S/CRS activities in which they might participate. ¶11. (SBU) Ambassador Herbst cleared this message. McCormick