NZ staff in at-risk countries told to head for safe ground

By LOUISA CLEAVE

Diplomatic support staff and Dairy Board workers are being urged to leave their posts in countries where the millennium bug could bite hardest.

Foreign Affairs says its embassies will be staffed by at least one senior diplomat and support staff, but non-essential staff and families can take voluntary leave from countries where there is a high risk of disruption.

They have been advised to travel early to avoid being in the air in time zones where 1999 changes over to 2000.

The Dairy Board has given similar instructions to its workers in 80 outposts in 35 developing countries, including Russia, where authorities have made it clear they cannot guarantee against Y2K problems.

"The company will be left in the hands of the Russian members of staff," said a board spokesman, Neville Martin.

Foreign Affairs has told New Zealand travellers in countries which could be hit by Y2K problems that they should not rely entirely on diplomats for support.

It says overseas missions are ready to help travellers who may be bitten by the millennium bug, but in some countries - highlighted as Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Iran and Russia - the disruption to essential services could be out of the control of diplomatic staff.

"Essentially, if people who are travelling have their travel interrupted because of Y2K difficulties with an airline, there is not much the local post can do," said a Foreign Affairs spokesman, James Funnell.

The Dairy Board said it would put on hold deliveries to markets such as Russia until after January 1, when it became clear what effect there had been on services such as electricity and communications.

Foreign Affairs says it can support New Zealanders in a potential emergency by helping them to contact New Zealand, issuing emergency travel documents, advising on problems and lending temporary financial assistance.

All diplomatic posts will have at least one senior diplomat and support staff on hand in case an increased number of New Zealanders run into difficulty.

Each post will assign a person to check communication systems at 1 am local time and report back to the ministry in New Zealand on the state of play in their country.

The ministry's Website also has advice for exporters, who are told to check with overseas business customers and suppliers about their Y2K contingency plans.

In cases of both travel and business, the ministry advises people to check with their insurance companies to see if they are covered by disruptions caused by the millennium bug.

The Website provides Y2K information on 27 countries, from the major destinations of Britain and America to holiday spots in the Pacific and Europe, which may suffer moderate to great Y2K problems.

"We've been able to give people indicators of how we think the Y2K problems will unfold but it's very difficult to do much more than single out some countries," Mr Funnell said.

"You can't say with any certainty a particular country will be completely unaffected or potentially grind to a halt."

In Washington, Ambassador Jim Bolger will be hosting a brunch for up to 400 people at the New Zealand Embassy.

The 10 am function is timed to coincide with the televised broadcast of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's concert in Gisborne.

An invitation to Washington's senior administrators, Government officials and key American business contacts trumpeted the chance to "see Dame Kiri Te Kanawa live at the dawn of the new millennium."

A spokeswoman at the embassy said the invitation pointed out that the "live" event would be on television, but some people missed this point and rang to say they would love to be entertained in person by the diva.