WikiLeaks cable: UN Goldstone resolution: NZ is watching Europe

Photo / Mark Mitchell

February 25, 2010
UN Goldstone resolution: New Zealand is watching Europe

date:2010-02-25T02:34:00
source:Embassy Wellington
origin:10WELLINGTON69
destination:VZCZCXYZ0002 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHWL #0069 0560234 ZNY CCCCC
ZZH O R 250234Z FEB 10 FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE
WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0425 INFO RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0002
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0008 RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 0003
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0001 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
classification:CONFIDENTIAL
reference:10STATE15722
?C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000069
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR EAP/ANP AND EUR/HR COURTNEY MUSSER (MUSSERCC@STATE.GOV)
...
?C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000069
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR EAP/ANP AND EUR/HR COURTNEY MUSSER (MUSSERCC@STATE.GOV)
E.O. 12958: DECL: (##)
TAGS: PHUM, UNGA, PREL, PGOV, NZ
SUBJECT: UN GOLDSTONE RESOLUTION: NEW ZEALAND IS WATCHING EUROPE
REF: 10 STATE 15722

CLASSIFIED BY: Adam Smith, Second Secretary, DoS, P/E; REASON: 1.4(B), (D)

1. (SBU) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Michael McBryde, the Foreign Ministry's UN Division Deputy Director, urging GNZ to vote no or abstain (as NZ did in November 2009) on the February 26 UN Goldstone Report draft resolution recently circulated by the Palestinian Observer Mission.

2. (SBU) McBryde stated that Jim McLay, NZ's UN Ambassador, follows Middle East issues very carefully and is well aware of sensitivities regarding the Goldstone Report. Last November McLay recommended abstention on the Goldstone Report draft resolution because he felt that the UN should "take note of" the report, not endorse it. NZ's UN delegation considers the latest draft resolution to be more "moderate and constructive", and it is waiting to see how European countries such as the UK, France, and Sweden will vote. NZ's UN delegation will have the authority to finalize its position (and its vote) based upon how the February 26 debate unfolds.

3. (SBU) NOTE: James Kember, the Foreign Ministry's UN Division Director, will travel on March 11 to meet with NZ's European and New York-based UN delegations. McBryde stated that Kember has only been in his current position since September 2009, and this will be his first trip to meet with these two groups. McBryde referred to the trip as a "pastoral mission" and did not share any specific agenda items. END NOTE

4. (C/NF) COMMENT: When pressed, McBryde admitted that, in particular, New Zealand is watching to see how the UK will vote on the Goldstone Report draft resolution. He said the UK has indicated that the new draft resolution is more "moderate and constructive", and there is a chance that London will change its vote from abstain to yes. Post believes that a shift in the UK position could have a significant impact on New Zealand's vote. McBryde further confided that this is a "particularly sensitive issue because Ambassador McLay is scheduled to travel to several Middle Eastern countries next week (including
Israel)." END COMMENT

CLARKE