WikiLeaks cable: NZ will not attend Dead Sea donors' meeting on Iraq

July 15, 2005
NZ will not attend Dead Sea donors' meeting on Iraq

SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND WILL NOT ATTEND DEAD SEA DONORS'
MEETING ON IRAQ

REF: A. SECSTATE 127710
B. WELLINGTON

Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Katherine B. Hadda,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

1. (SBU) Post shared reftel information regarding the Dead
Sea Donor's meeting with Darryl Dunn, Director and Ruth
Nuttall, Deputy Director, of the Middle East and Africa
Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).
On July 14, Nuttall informed Pol-Econ Couns that
unfortunately New Zealand would not be able to attend the
meeting.

2. (SBU) Nuttall said that she strongly believed New Zealand
should attend the conference, but NZAID, the lead agency on
the issue, had neither the time nor resources to do so. As
Nuttall had attended the recent US-EU-Iraq conference in
Brussels, she was similarly constrained. GNZ officials had
looked into several other options, such as fielding a
candidate from a European or MidEast post, but none could be
spared. Pol-Econ Couns suggested Embassy Wellington brief NZ
officials on the outcome of the conference, and Nuttall
eagerly agreed.

3. (C) MFAT's Chief Executive Officer Simon Murdoch (close
hold) has told post that GNZ is looking for ways to increase
its involvement in Iraq. Officials are currently reviewing
options.

4. (U) For a summary of New Zealand's past and planned Iraq
reconstruction assistance to to date, see Ref B. A
break-down of GMZ's assistance has also been forwarded via
e-mail to EAP/ANP Thomas Ramsey.
Swindells