Ambassador a model of diplomacy, even among friends

In the final of The Ambassadors series, FRAN O'SULLIVAN meets Britain's High Commissioner, Richard Fell, and discovers what he will and won't talk about


British High Commissioner Richard Fell takes a while to warm up.

Fell, and wife Claire, are active on the Wellington social circuit, offering their spacious residence Homewood and its magnificent gardens for a variety of charity events.

On the day the Herald arrives, Fell is preparing to host the Queen's Life Guards outside in torrential rain on one of Wellington's worst rainy days on record.

He does not know who will turn up from his 350-strong bunch of diplomats, chiefs of defence forces, Brits, politicians, mahjong players, Save the Children workers, neighbours, and "monsoon munchers" - a group of old "Asia hands" that includes National leader Don Brash's right-hand man Richard Long, a deputy-secretary from foreign affairs, journalists and diplomats.

The Wellington High Commissioner's job is a very popular one.

The relationship between Britain and New Zealand has long ago reached the "mature" stage where "people-to-people" ties are the most critical focus.

Three-quarters of New Zealanders are thought to have "some kind of Brit" connection. Each year, 250,000 British people visit New Zealand, and about 16 per cent of New Zealanders are eligible for British passports.

Fell is particularly pleased that a review of the qualifications for the many young New Zealanders doing their OE in Britain has resulted in relaxed conditions.

"There's a generally positive feeling towards young New Zealanders in the UK ... that builds to a professional relationship later on."

The British Government works closely with the New Zealand Government on the "international agenda".

"By and large our views are pretty close," said Fell. "We aim to do what we can collaboratively."

That co-operation covers weapons of mass destruction, Iraq, environmental issues, the World Trade Organisation, the Commonwealth, the Pacific Islands Forum - "a wide range of issues where we communicate and discuss on a weekly, sometimes daily basis".

While foreign policy and defence are obvious issues, Fell says there is another dimension to the relationship.

Strong UK interest in New Zealand's controversial public policy reforms in education and health policy have brought a lot of Whitehall visitors.

"There's a lot of interest in the experiments carried out," said Fell, "whether 'succeeded' or 'succeeded not so well'."

Even the Iraq standoff, which caused major wrinkles in the Government's relationship with the United States caused barely a ripple with the Brits.

Prime Minister Helen Clark had made her Government's position quite clear. New Zealand would not be joining the US, Britain and Australia in their invasion.

Said Fell: "Throughout the process, we kept the New Zealand Government fully informed on our thinking and the way things were developing in the United Nations and the way we were approaching it ...

"The dialogue went ahead frankly and openly, and the New Zealand Government chose to go into a different direction. That's its choice. It's a mature country."

Asked whether the High Commission had tried to lobby the Government to commit to the invasion, Fell replied "they were characterised as informed consultations and discussions".

"'What you're asking is, 'Did I go in and bully her', and the answer is no.

"I did not go in and attempt to persuade the Government to do something it didn't want to do.

"In the two years I've been here, I've never had to get up and say I strongly disagree with the New Zealand Government."

Fells believes the relationship is mature enough to withstand genuine differences of view.

When Clark visited British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London last May they were able to move on. She later sent New Zealand engineers to Iraq to work in the British zone.

Fell does spend considerable time communicating the British Government's view through avenues such as Rotary clubs.

At the height of the Iraq crisis, there was considerable interest.

"But I can't think of an occasion when anybody stood up and shouted at me," he said. "Maybe New Zealanders are naturally too polite.

"I tend to be rather upbeat and positive and people tend to focus on the risks and dangers and so forth.

"But we forget that in the Balkans and in Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and Iraq there are positive outcomes."

Fell does admit to a "low point".

A cyanide-laced letter addressed to the British High Commissioner was intercepted at the South Auckland Mail Centre. It was one of four letters threatening attacks on American, Australian and British interests in New Zealand if Iraq was attacked.

It is clear that the British Government does not want to have another Iraq-style debacle in the United Nations Security Council.

"The British Government's view is that there should be some reforms," said Fell. "But it's not easy to change international organisations in a way which satisfies everybody."

He first came to New Zealand on holiday 21 years ago. When he returned two years ago, he was struck by developments such as the wine industry, which he says is "now grown up".

Fell cites the lifestyle and sport - "and I won't mention rugby" - as obvious attractions to his family. Two young sons live in Wellington.

Fell was on his way to Pitcairn Island when England were playing in the World Rugby Cup final. He tried and failed to get into a British pub in downtown Auckland, "but naturally we were pretty pleased".

Fell is also Pitcairn's Governor, and has had the job of trying to keep things running at a time when serious sex crimes charges have been laid against some of its male inhabitants.

Last year the islanders voted 15-7 that they no longer had trust or confidence in the High Commission. Some believe a successful prosecution will end Pitcairn's two centuries of independence.

"The community will be able to pull itself together," said Fell. "But what I'm also clear about is that if this kind of child sex abuse occurred, then it can't be allowed to continue."

Fell firmly believes Pitcairn will be able to survive its difficulties.

He is trying to stimulate a small tourist "homestay" industry on the island.

He took three engineers with him on his November trip to investigate whether a small airstrip could be built and the jetty strengthened.

"Cruise ships stop by, but there is no accommodation for tour parties of 200 on an island with a population of less than 50," he notes.

"Obviously there will need to be a bigger population on the island. At the moment quite a few are elderly - we need more in their 20s, 30s, 40s."

If an airfield could be built, and linked in through French Polynesia, it would provide an attraction for Pitcairners to return home to work for a year or two, and an emergency link.

New Zealand's UK connection dates back to the early 19th century and its period as a British colony. Now some New Zealanders see the Government's decision to abandon the Privy Council as putting the country on the path to republicanism.

Choosing his words carefully, Fell says he is "neutral" on the Government's decision to stop using the council as New Zealand's final appellate body.

"It's not my place to offer a view. It's the Government that really has to have a position on the subject.

"I am not the Queen's representative in New Zealand, so there are certain issues on which I don't express a view.

"They may be ones of particular interest to New Zealanders, but it's not my place."

Herald: "And Waitangi?"

Fell: "That's another one. That's your issue.

"It may have been signed with the Brits, but it's now your issue and responsibility.

"Yes, New Zealanders express views on these issues privately to me and I listen, but I don't go around making controversial statements."

Herald: "Have you ever been tempted?"

"Only for a very short period, then my wife tells me, 'Don't you dare'."

Richard Fell

How he got the job?

Fell bid for the job against "stiff competition". "It's perceived to be fairer ... and I won it because in the eyes of the people who decide these things, I was the best candidate."

Relations with New Zealand

The relationship is best described as "mature" - there are no thorns. But Fells enjoys rubbing in England's World Rugby Cup triumph ...

Previous career

Postings to Vietnam, Laos and Hanoi in the 1970s. Then Nato HQ in Brussels, Kuala Lumpur, Ottawa, Bangkok and Toronto.

Most recently at the Royal College of Defence Studies.

Career highlight

Being present at the fall of Saigon. "The British Embassy closed two weeks earlier, and we managed to retire in pretty good order."

He then went to Laos when a similar evacuation looked likely and saw the last air battle at Vientiane "while eating sandwiches".

"I was a young, single diplomat in those days - we felt we were at the centre of what was going on."

Early life

Applied for jobs in the BBC after university, then followed a friend's suggestion and applied to be a diplomat. After two days of examinations was selected, "somewhat to my surprise".

Ambitions

"Typically I haven't decided what I might do next. I might go back to the Foreign Office, or I might go on another posting - I've done this job for thirty years."