Cablegate: New Zealand's Reaction to Proposed Executive Order

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

S E C R E T WELLINGTON 000870

SIPDIS

FOR EB AND EAP/ANP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2014
TAGS: PREL PTER KTFN IZ NZ
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND'S REACTION TO PROPOSED EXECUTIVE ORDER
ON IRAQ INSURGENCY FINANCE

REF: STATE 194466

Classified by Charge d'affaires David R. Burnett. Reason:
1.4(b) and (d).

1. (S-rel New Zealand) Post on September 14 delivered reftel
talking points and text of the proposed executive order
regarding insurgency finance in Iraq to New Zealand's
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

2. (S-rel New Zealand) On October 14, Taha Mcpherson of the
Ministry's Security Policy Division delivered his
government's response. He apologized for the delayed reply,
explaining that it had to be vetted by a number of ministries
and offices, including the Prime Minister's office.

3. (S-rel New Zealand) Following is New Zealand's response:

Begin text:

New Zealand deplores the continuing violence in Iraq,
including attacks on civilians. New Zealand has the utmost
sympathy for the victims of the violence and their families
-- both Iraqi, and those from other countries that are
helping to stabilize Iraq and provide humanitarian and
reconstruction support under UN Security Council Resolutions
1483 and 1546.

We welcome the US intention to share information on
individuals and entities that it believes pose a significant
risk of committing acts of violence against either the
Multinational Force in Iraq, or civilians supporting it.
This information will be of benefit to the New Zealand
authorities charged with monitoring international terrorist
groups.

New Zealand would not envisage taking "parallel action" to
that in the proposed US Executive Order because it sees the
United Nations Security Council process as providing an
effective multilateral mechanism for freezing the assets of
individuals and entities associated with Al Qaida, the
Taliban or Usama bin Laden.

While New Zealand's legislative basis -- the Terrorism
Suppression Act 2002 (as amended) -- is sufficient to ensure
full compliance with United Nations Security Council
Resolutions 1267, 1373 and 1390 it would not enable our going
further, given that it is not clear that those targeted by
the proposed new US Executive Order would necessarily fall
within the definition of those who have committed "terrorist
acts" as defined in our legislation.

End text.

4. (C) Comment: The New Zealand government's response is not
surprising and is consistent with the position it has taken
since opposing the invasion of Iraq, through its freezing of
terrorist funds under the UN resolutions, and through its
participation in Iraq's reconstruction: New Zealand has
insisted that such actions be linked to decisions by the
United Nations.
Burnett

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