US embassy cable - 04WELLINGTON727

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000727 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/EP-DAVID TOMCZYK AND EAP/ANP-THOMAS 
RAMSEY 
STATE PASS USTR-JAYME ROTH, AUDREY WINTER AND 
BARBARA NORTON 
 
E.O. 12356: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, ECIN, ETTC, EINV, NZ, APECO 
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND RESPONDS TO APEC PROPOSALS ON CUSTOMS 
DUTIES MORATORIUM AND ELIMINATING IT TARIFFS 
 
REF: (A) STATE 180617; (B) STATE 180612 
 
1. Post delivered ref talking points August 24 to Adele 
Bryant, deputy director in the economic division of New 
Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 
 
2. On the proposal for permanently extending the customs 
duties moratorium on electronically transmitted products 
(ref B), Ms. Bryant said the ministry was awaiting clearance 
from the government's development agency before taking a 
final position.  However, she said her government at this 
point expects to support the proposal. 
 
3. On the proposal to eliminate tariffs on additional 
information technology products (ref A), Ms. Bryant said 
that, since the Second APEC Senior Officials' Meeting, her 
government has been working on a list of products for 
consideration but has not yet completed it.  She said the 
ministry would continue to work closely with Barbara Norton 
at USTR on the proposal. 
 
Swindells