US embassy cable - 04WELLINGTON844

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WELLINGTON 000844 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP 
INL FOR ERINDLER 
NSC FOR JONES, GREEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/06/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ECON, EFIS, SENV, NZ 
SUBJECT: ASSISTANT SECRETARY JAMES A. KELLY'S AUGUST 8 
MEETING WITH NEW ZEALAND FOREIGN MINISTER PHIL GOFF AT 
PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM IN APIA, SAMOA 
 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC COUNSELOR 
KATHERINE B. HADDA, FOR REASONS 1.5(B,D) 
 
1. (U) Summary: Assistant Secretary Kelly, accompanied by 
Ambassador Swindells, Ed Rindler (INL) and notetaker, met 
August 8, 2004 with New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff at 
the Pacific Islands Forum in Apia, Samoa.  A/S Kelly and Goff 
discussed the deteriorating relationship between East Timor 
and Indonesia, and the possibility of establishing either a 
UN Commission of Experts or a Truth Commission in East Timor. 
 Kelly thanked Goff for the GoNZ's contributions in Iraq and 
Afghanistan, urging NZ to consider alternative means of 
assistance following the withdrawal of NZ military engineers 
from Iraq in September.  Goff noted that the GoNZ had 
recently committed to an additional 12-month participation in 
Afghanistan.  Goff remarked that he was happy with the 
progress being made on the U.S.-Australia Free Trade 
Agreement (FTA,) and that the GoNZ was subduing its lobbying 
efforts for an FTA until after the U.S. election in November. 
 End Summary. 
 
 
East Timor 
---------- 
 
2. (C) Talking on human rights, Goff reiterated the GoNZ's 
concern over the deteriorating relationship between East 
Timor and Indonesia.  Kelly noted that the USG also had 
concerns about accountability, pointing to the failure of the 
Ad Hoc Tribunal For East Timor Indonesian military, as 
evidenced by the July decision to acquit four Indonesian 
security guards charged with violence in East Timor in 1999. 
Goff emphasized that the international community must set a 
strong precedent for justice, and hold those who committed 
crimes to account.  He favored the establishment of an 
International Crimes Tribunal for East Timor under UN 
jurisdiction, but recognized that this was an unlikely 
outcome, given limited international support for such 
Tribunals in general.  Barring a Tribunal, Goff outlined the 
Kiwi fallback position - the creation of an East Timor Truth 
Commission, which would "name and shame" transgressors.  He 
also discussed the possible creation of a UN Commission of 
Experts (UNCOE.)  Kelly agreed that the UN was far more 
likely to support a Truth Commission than a Tribunal.  He 
added that a UNCOE was a necessary precursor to a Truth 
Commission, and that both the scope and term of the UNCOE 
should be limited.  He offered to work with the GoNZ on any 
of these suggestions, especially following the Indonesian 
election in September.  Goff lamented that the inexperience 
of Yudhoyono's political base made decisive action on justice 
in East Timor and autonomy in West Papua and Aceh unlikely. 
 
Iraq and Afghanistan 
-------------------- 
 
3. (C) Kelly thanked Goff for the GoNZ's contributions to 
OIF.  He noted that security in the build-up to the UN-led 
election would remain a substantial problem but that there 
was now a clear distinction between imported and home-grown 
fighters, and a growing feeling that Iraq is a sovereign 
nation.  Goff remarked that the 61 New Zealand military 
engineers serving in Iraq would finish their rotation as 
scheduled in late September but the GoNZ was willing to leave 
future options open.  He emphasized that although the GoNZ 
would not leave Iraq in the middle of this critical period, 
for operational reasons there are no immediate replacements 
planned for the engineering contingent.  Kelly urged Goff to 
consider additional means of assistance following the 
withdrawal of NZ military personnel.  Kelly also thanked Goff 
for the NZ-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in 
Bamiyan.  Goff pointed out that the GoNZ had reaffirmed their 
commitment to Afghanistan for a further 12 months.  He then 
noted that voter registration in Afghanistan was going well, 
with almost 8 million people on the electoral rolls.  He 
expressed concern, however, over President Karzai's ability 
to control warlords and the drug trade, pointing to the 
increasing trouble in Bamiyan with poppy production. 
 
PNG 
--- 
 
4. (SBU) Goff, in response to Kelly's query, noted that the 
Government of Papua New Guinea would need continued pressure 
to conform to the December 31 deadline for the UN Observer 
Mission in Bougainville.  Goff stated that there is no 
suggestion of civil war erupting in the country, but the 
infrastructure there remains inadequate. 
Free Trade Agreement 
-------------------- 
 
5. (C) Goff remarked that he was happy with the progress 
being made on the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA.) 
He noted that NZ Ambassador to the U.S. John Wood was 
confident of wide support in Congress for a U.S.-NZ FTA, but 
that the GoNZ was reducing its lobbying efforts until after 
the U.S. elections.  He welcomed any USG assistance in 
helping with the "psychological impact of investment 
diversion" from NZ as a result of the U.S.-Australia FTA. 
Kelly explained to Goff that the loss of fast-track authority 
in the coming year would have a serious impact on all FTAs, 
and that a new Trade Promotion Authority would be needed. 
Goff noted that the GoNZ was pursuing a number of free trade 
channels, including an ASEAN ) Australia/New Zealand FTA 
beginning in November. 
 
Attendees 
--------- 
 
6. U.S.: 
A/S Kelly 
Ambassador Swindells 
Ed Rindler 
Dorothy Rogers 
 
New Zealand: 
Foreign Minister Phil Goff 
Amy Steffens, FM's Office 
Rene Wilson, Director, Pacific Division, Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs and Trade 
Burnett