US embassy cable - 05WELLINGTON551

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000551 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EB/ODF MARCELLUS; NEA/I AND EAP/ANP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2015 
TAGS: EAID, ECON, EFIN, PREL, NZ 
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