Cablegate: New Zealand's Response to Request for Migrant
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000404
SIPDIS
STATE FOR PRM/POP-RGEHRING AND EAP/ANP-TRAMSEY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF PREL SMIG NZ
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND'S RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR MIGRANT
RESETTLEMENT
REF: STATE 68806
Post delivered reftel demarche April 15 to the New Zealand
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). On May 23,
Michelle McGillivray of MFAT's United Nations and
Commonwealth Division reported that New Zealand would be
unable to resettle any of the Cuban and Haitian migrants
being housed at the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo. New
Zealand takes in 750 refugees a year through its
resettlement program with UNHCR. That program does not
include a humanitarian category or any flexibility allowing
New Zealand to depart from the refugee quota. The country
takes direction from the UNHCR office in Canberra on the
refugees it resettles.
SWINDELLS