WikiLeaks cable: NZ on US-Singapore strategic framework agreement

July 15, 2005
NZ on US-Singapore strategic framework agreement

SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND ON U.S.-SINGAPORE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
AGREEMENT

REF: A. SECSTATE 125837
B. WELLINGTON 475
C. WELLINGTON 452

Classified By: POLITICAL-ECONOMIC COUNSELOR KATHERINE HADDA,
FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) and (D)

1. (C) On July 11, DATT AND Pol-Econ Couns shared reftel
information with Air Commander Graham Lintott, Office of the
Assistant Chief of Strategic Commitments and Intelligence,
and Paul Sinclair, Head of International Defence Relations,
NZ Defence Force. Both officials expressed gratitude at
being given a heads up about the agreement. Sinclair said
that his Singaporean contacts had already informed him of
their strategic framework agreement talks with the United
States. Pol-Econ Chief noted that the framework with
Singapore was a useful example of the kind of broad,
cooperative framework that the United States and New Zealand
could explore should we ever engage in a dialogue about how
to work through the issues that still divide us and move the
bilateral relationship forward (Refs B and C).

2. (C) We were unable to inform the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Trade (MFAT) of the initiative before it was
publicly announced, as staff were drawn away to working the
phones in the wake of the London terrorist attacks. However,
on February 13 Pol-Econ Couns forwarded a copy of the joint
statement by the President and Singapore President Lee to
Nigel Moore, Director of MFAT's South and Southeast Asia
division. She also provided background on the agreement to
Bede Corry, Director of MFAT's Office of the Chief Executive,
noting the potential for similar US-NZ cooperation. On July
15, Roy Ferguson, Director of MFAT's North America Division,
told Pol-Econ Couns that he and other MFAT officials were
examining the information with interest.
Swindells