US embassy cable - 05WELLINGTON82

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000082 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NP/RA ETHYN SONTAG, L/NP JULIE HERR, L/LEI DENISE 
MANNING, AND EAP/ANP 
LONDON FOR EST/EVANS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2015 
TAGS: KNNP, KTIA, MNUC, PARM, PREL, PHSA, EWWT, NZ 
SUBJECT: U.S. NONPROLIFERATION AMENDMENTS TO THE SUA 
CONVENTION: NEW ZEALAND 
 
REF: SECSTATE 14507 
 
Classified By: Acting DCM Katherine Hadda, 
For Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) 
 
1.  (C) Acting DCM conveyed reftel points on the Suppression 
of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation 
(SUA) to Caroline McDonald, Director of the Disarmament 
Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) 
and Scott Sheeran, an MFAT Legal Advisor.  A/DCM said she was 
encouraged that both were willing to discuss the issue with 
her, as it was important that both legal and substantive 
experts take an interest in SUA discussions. 
 
2.  (C) McDonald and Sheeran apologized for not knowing in 
depth New Zealand's views on the U.S. proposals.  McDonald 
has monitored the issue but not worked on it directly; 
Sheeran just took over the portfolio; and Caroline Bilkie, 
the Deputy Director of the MFAT Legal Division who was at the 
first SUA meeting, is out of the country until next week. 
Sheeran said that he understood that New Zealand is in broad 
agreement on the importance of the agreement covering both 
state and non-state actors.  A/DCM stressed that it was 
equally important that the agreement criminalize the knowing 
transport of dual use items for use in prohibited weapons, 
and said that this proposal was consistent with UNSCR 1540 
and other nonproliferation regimes to which New Zealand 
belongs. 
 
3.  (C) Sheeran and McDonald promised to convey our points to 
New Zealand's rep to the Intersessional, Hine-wai Loose, who 
covers disarmament issues in Geneva.  They noted that Loose's 
choice as representative reflects New Zealand's desire to 
keep a substantive focus on the talks.  Sheeran said he would 
advise A/DCM of Loose's views after the discussions  next 
week. 
Swindells