VZCZCXRO9162
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHWL #0158 1300359
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 090359Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5227
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0427
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 5175
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0049
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0184
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0167
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0331
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON 0043
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0299
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0710
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0493
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0128
UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000158
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PREL BM NZ
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND CONTRIBUTING TO BURMA RELIEF, PRESSING
FOR ACCESS
REF: STATE 486551
1. (SBU) In response to Reftel instruction, DCM contacted
David Taylor, the Director of the Asia Division in New
Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). On
May 7, Prime Minister Helen Clark announced that the New
Zealand Government committed NZD 500,000 (USD 387,000) to New
Zealand aid and relief agencies involved in Burma to assist
them in responding to the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis. On May
8, PM Clark committed an additional NZD 1 million (USD
775,000) to UNICEF for its assistance in the wake of the
cyclone.
2. (SBU) According to Taylor, MFAT has instructed its embassy
in Bangkok to express to the Burmese regime its strong
concern about the delay in permitting international
assistance and aid workers to enter the country. (NOTE. New
Zealand does not have an embassy in Burma. END NOTE.) It has
instructed its embassy in Canberra to convey the same message
to the Burmese embassy there. Finally, MFAT has instructed
the New Zealand delegation at the ARF SOM occurring this week
in Singapore to raise the same concern with the Burmese
delegation on the margins of the SOM. New Zealand will also
express the same concern during the SOM plenary.
3. (SBU) Taylor said that New Zealand would continue to watch
developments closely and welcomed any further thoughts from
Washington on how best to coordinate our responses.
MCCORMICK