Cablegate: Fy2006 Us Speaker Request - Dr. Gerard Fenin

VZCZCXRO2192
RR RUEHNZ
DE RUEHWL #0582/01 2072208
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 262208Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3083
INFO RUEHNZ/AMCONSUL AUCKLAND 0854
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 4493

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 WELLINGTON 000582

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR IIP/G/EA - TVOSE & RFHOLDEN; EAP/PD - AGRIMES AND
TSKIPPER; EAP/ANP - DRICCI; CANBERRA FOR PAO

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP NZ
SUBJECT: FY2006 US Speaker Request - Dr. Gerard Fenin

1. Program Description: Post requests a U.S. speaker visit by Dr.
Gerard Fenin, Deputy Director of the East-West Center's Pacific
Island Development Program in support of MPP Goal 07-01 Active
Anti-Terrorist Coalitions (Counter Terrorism) & Regional Stability
and Goal 07-03 Mutual Understanding. Dr. Fenin would be asked to
address Democracy, Security, Good Governance, and the Political
Stability of the Southwest Pacific.

Allowing for a rest day and Embassy briefings in Wellington, Post
would like Fenin to arrive in Wellington no later than Sunday,
September 24, and depart Auckland for Honolulu on Sunday, October 1.
This would allow for a maximum of five official program days and
two rest days.

2. Date, Fiscal Year, and Quarter: Dates: September 24 - October 1,
2006. Fiscal Year 2006; Fourth Quarter.

3. Justification and Objective: New Zealand plays a leading role in
promoting political stability (the assistance recently given to the
Solomons, Bougainville, and Fiji being cases in point), good
governance, and economic growth among the countries in the Southwest
Pacific. Dr. Fenin's specific expertise relating to New Zealand in
the Asia-Pacific region at a time of increased terrorism and
insecurity would be invaluable. A speaker of his caliber would
attract a broad range of official, academic, and media interest
throughout the country. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss
with our contacts such issues as foreign aid strategies;
economic/development issues facing the Pacific Islands; good
governance; the new Pacific era in which terrorism, money-laundering
and people-smuggling are an issue; how New Zealand initiatives in
the region relate to US interests; how they compare to and contrast
with US Pacific Island programs; how New Zealand's interests in the
region and its programs are beneficial to US interests; and how we
can advance the demands of security in the region and help promote
stability in small countries showing the potential to become failed
states. Dr. Fenin's knowledge of the Pacific and his popularity as
a speaker would provide Post with an opportunity for discussion of
these issues which are of serious concern to Post.

4. Fenin's Pacific research and writings, which include: Small is
Viable: The Global Ebbs and Flows of a Pacific Atoll Nation,
East-West Center Working Papers, April 2002; Coups, Conflicts, and
Crises: The New Pacific Way? East-West Center Working Papers, June
2000; and his research on Islands of Globalization: policy analysis
and sustainable development in the Pacific Islands and Reinventing
Government in the Pacific Islands also reinforce the fact that he
would be a US Speaker particularly well-suited to this program.

5. Please note: Program contact Christine Vivian has already
approached Dr. Fenin, who has confirmed his serious, enthusiastic
interest in traveling to New Zealand. He has indicated his
availability to visit New Zealand on the given dates, subject to IIP
approval.

6. Audience: It is anticipated that this program will include
members of parliament and their staffs, NZ AID, academics, Pacific
Island representatives in NZ, the media, and local branches of the
New Zealand Institute of International Affairs in at least three of
the main NZ city centers. It is expected also that Dr. Fenin will
visit the Pacific Island Studies Departments at universities in at
least three cities around the country.

7. Topics and Types of Events: Fenin will be asked to attend
Embassy briefings in Wellington. Speech topics are to be decided in
consultation with him and host institutions. It is envisaged that a
presentation will be given to Embassy contacts in Wellington, and
other events will include meetings with political leaders, the
media, academia, and representational events at centers around New
Zealand, as will as presentations to NZIIA (New Zealand Institute of
International Affairs) members.

8. Dr. Fenin's Contact Details:
Email: feninj@EastWestCenter
Telephone: 808 944-7751 Fax: 808 944-7670

Address:
Pacific Island Development Program
East-West Center
1601 East-West Road
Honolulu, Hawaii 96848

9. Post Project Officer/Control Officer: Christine Vivian. Office
Phone: 644-462-6112; Fax: 644-499-04890
Email: cvivian@actrix.gen.nz or Vivianc@state.gov

10. Funding Source: Ref: Email 6/1 from Victor Sidabras to Roy
Glover re funding of the speaker's international and domestic
travel, per diem, and honoraria. This is the third of the three
Special Speaker's requests which were offered to New Zealand.

WELLINGTON 00000582 002 OF 002

11. Please advise soonest. Many thanks.
MCCORMICK

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