PM CLARK REBUKES MINISTER FOR BROADSIDE AT US IRAQ POLICY

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SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR D (FRITZ),EAP/FO, AND EAP/ANP
NSC FOR VICTOR CHA
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISD LIZ PHU
PACOM FOR J01E/J2/J233/J5/SJFHQ

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV NZ
SUBJECT: PM CLARK REBUKES MINISTER FOR BROADSIDE AT US IRAQ POLICY

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Summary
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1. (SBU) On January 12th, Jim Anderton, the New Zealand Government's
Duty Minister at the time, launched a blistering attack on President
Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq. PM Helen Clark and Foreign
Minister Winston Peters quickly disavowed Anderton's comments, and
the PM removed him as Duty Minister within the day. As a result,
Clark especially has been roundly criticized by many ordinary Kiwis
and the NZ media, who tend to agree with Anderton. The PM was also
assailed by the Greens, who accused her of cuddling up to the U.S.,
and by National, who claimed that Anderton was repeating what the
Labour Government really thinks. To our mind, the PM's quick work
to tamp down Anderton's remarks demonstrates that she recognizes the
GNZ needs to improve the tone of its rhetoric if it is to build
bridges with the U.S. It also proves she is prepared pay a price
for this at home. End Summary
What Anderton said
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2. (SBU) On January 12th Jim Anderton, then the Government's Duty
Minister, was asked by a reporter from the Christchurch Press for
Government reaction on President Bush's decision to send more troops
to Iraq. Although the President had not yet delivered his speech,
Anderton roundly criticized not just the new initiative but the Iraq
war in general. He compared the Iraq campaign to the mistakes of
Napoleon and Genghis Khan, adding that "it is hard to see how
additional 20,000-25,000 troops are going to be capable of making
any real difference." Anderton, the Government's third-ranked
Minister, further wondered "whether the lessons I would have
expected to be learnt from (Vietnam) have been learnt in any way at
all." Anderton claimed that the Government's views "remain
consistent with our [GNZ] original view about military action not
being a sustainable or long-term contributor to the peaceful
development of Iraq."

3. (SBU) When the journalist informed the Embassy's Media Specialist
about Anderton's comments and asked for comment, the DCM immediately
alerted Carl Worker, Director of the Americas Division at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and stressed the importance
of the New Zealand Government at senior political levels disavowing
this position. Worker said he would immediately inform the PM's
office.
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PM Clark quick to admonish Anderton
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4. (SBU) Within hours after the DCM's call to MFAT, Clark distanced
herself from Anderton's comments. In a statement released to the
media, Clark claimed that Anderton had spoken as leader of the
coalition Progressive Party and a local MP, not on behalf of the
Government. Said Clark, "President Bush today announced a revised US
strategy for Iraq based on several major elements. They include the
Iraqi Government taking the lead in confronting the insurgency;
improving internal political dialogue and economic progress in Iraq,
encouraging Arab state support for the Iraqi Government; and
increasing the number of US troops deployed." She noted that
"attempts to bring peace to Iraq have foundered in the face of a
bitter insurgency, marked by sectarian violence. The current
situation in Iraq is also destabilizing within the region. " Clark
added that "Iraq faces enormous challenges and the situation there
is of great concern to New Zealand and the international community."
MFAT informed the Embassy that Clark had also decided to replace
Anderton as Duty Minister within a day, and ordered him not to
comment further on the matter, and instructed that the USG be
informed of this action.
Foreign Minister Peters critical of Anderton
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5. (SBU) Foreign Minister Winston Peters backed Clark's view and
publicly called Anderton's comments "ill-informed and regrettable."
In a statement issued from Cebu, where he was attending the East
Asia Summit, Peters noted that the comments "certainly do not
reflect the views of the Government."
Clark's Move Catches Flak from Public and Media
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6. (SBU) Clark's decision to slap down Anderton has put her very
much on the wrong side of popular opinion in New Zealand, as she
undoubtedly anticipated it would. Polls have found that most NZers
endorsed Anderton's comments and were highly critical of Clark's
reaction. An unscientific and voluntary poll by New Zealand media
website Stuff.co.nz showed almost 80 per cent of the more than 3500
respondents agreed Iraq was becoming another Vietnam.

7. (SBU) By and large, editorials have similarly disapproved of
Clark's actions. Whilst most NZ editors gave Anderton low marks for

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diplomacy, they awarded him high marks for courage and honesty. In
contrast, Clark's decision not back Anderton was roundly criticized,
with one editorial describing it as "nothing more than a shallow and
transparent attempt at diplomatic face-saving." A week on, the
papers are still publishing readers' letters about the incident, few
of which support what Clark did. While we suspect many Kiwis do
agree with the Prime Minister, the majority of those who have spoken
out clearly do not.
Clark also faces political heat
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8. (SBU) In addition to broad public and media criticism, Clark
received political flak as well. National Party leader John Key
claimed the comments simply reflected what Anderton had heard around
the Cabinet table and would weaken the Government's attempts to
improve relations with the US. Green Party co-leader Jeanette
Fitzsimons claimed that the controversy revealed Clark's true
colors. She said, "...the fact that Clark has been willing to bag
her closest coalition partner in order to keep relations with the US
friendly is not something I would have expected from a leader who
just three years ago inspired New Zealand by refusing to bow to
pressure to join the Coalition of the Willing."

9. (SBU) Ironically, perhaps, we believe Fitzsimons got it exactly
right. PM Clark made a decision few would have expected three years
ago to protect her Government's relationship with the United States,
even though important left wing supporters disapproved.
McCormick