US embassy cable - 05WELLINGTON718

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000718 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EB/TRA/OTP, S/CT AND EAP/ANP 
SYDNEY FOR TSA REPRESENTATIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR, PTER, NZ 
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND OFFERS INFORMATION ON PASSENGER- 
SCREENING SYSTEM 
 
 
1. This is an action request; please see Paragraph 3. 
 
2. In response to the Department of Homeland Security's 
intent to expand the Advanced Passenger Information System 
(APIS), the New Zealand government has offered to provide 
the U.S. government with information and a demonstration on 
the Australian-developed Advanced Passenger Processing 
system.  New Zealand uses the system, which allows for 
passengers to be screened at the time of check-in, and 
believes it would benefit U.S. border security without 
posing a heavy burden on air carriers. 
 
3. Action requested: Would TSA be interested in receiving 
information and a demonstration on the Advanced Passenger 
Processing system?  Post would be grateful for guidance on 
how to respond to the New Zealand government's offer. 
 
4. Meanwhile, the New Zealand government intends to join a 
demarche to the State Department expressing concern about 
the expansion of APIS to require air carriers to collect 
information from passengers not already contained in their 
machine-readable passports.  New Zealand is worried about 
the impact on airline operations.  New Zealand also would be 
concerned should the Department of Homeland Security decide 
to go through with its previous plan to require airlines to 
submit data on passengers to U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection at least an hour before departure. 
 
BURNETT