NEW ZEALAND CONTRIBUTING TO BURMA RELIEF, PRESSING

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000158 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREL BM NZ SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND CONTRIBUTING TO BURMA RELIEF, PRESSING FOR ACCESS REF: STATE 486551 ¶1. (SBU) In response to Reftel instruction, DCM contacted David Taylor, the Director of the Asia Division in New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). On May 7, Prime Minister Helen Clark announced that the New Zealand Government committed NZD 500,000 (USD 387,000) to New Zealand aid and relief agencies involved in Burma to assist them in responding to the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis. On May 8, PM Clark committed an additional NZD 1 million (USD 775,000) to UNICEF for its assistance in the wake of the cyclone. ¶2. (SBU) According to Taylor, MFAT has instructed its embassy in Bangkok to express to the Burmese regime its strong concern about the delay in permitting international assistance and aid workers to enter the country. (NOTE. New Zealand does not have an embassy in Burma. END NOTE.) It has instructed its embassy in Canberra to convey the same message to the Burmese embassy there. Finally, MFAT has instructed the New Zealand delegation at the ARF SOM occurring this week in Singapore to raise the same concern with the Burmese delegation on the margins of the SOM. New Zealand will also express the same concern during the SOM plenary. ¶3. (SBU) Taylor said that New Zealand would continue to watch developments closely and welcomed any further thoughts from Washington on how best to coordinate our responses. MCCORMICK