WikiLeaks: NZ response to US regarding SUA convention

This is one of the diplomatic cables about New Zealand held by Wikileaks.

April 14, 2005 SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR SUPPORT FOR U.S. NONPROLIFERATION AMENDMENTS TO THE SUA CONVENTION

Classified By: Pol-Econ Counselor Katherine B. Hadda for reasons 1.4 B and D

1. (C) Pol-Econ Counselor on April 13 passed talking points (Ref A) to Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Legal Division's Deputy Director Caroline Bilkey and new Legal Advisor Gerard Van Bohemen. Van Bohemen will formally start his position in June and will lead the New Zealand delegation to next week's SUA talks.

2. (C) On April 14, Van Bohemen reported they had read the demarche and appreciated our attention to their position (ref B). They continue to support the Canadian text because they think it enables signatories to maintain their own Non-proliferation Treaty policies. They are also not convinced that the Canadian text is less ambiguous than the alternate, France/UK/U.S. version. That being said, Van Bohemen added he did not think there was a large gap between the two texts, and he looked forward to working with us to narrow our differences. He also reiterated that New Zealand remained opposed to reopening other portions of the text, and he hoped for a productive session next week. Van Boheman leaves for London on April 15.

Burnett

ENDS