September 15, 2006
NZ's Unifil contributions
date:2006-09-15T05:42:00
source:Embassy Wellington
origin:06WELLINGTON727
destination:VZCZCXYZ0235 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHWL #0727 2580542 ZNY CCCCC
ZZH O 150542Z SEP 06 FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
IMMEDIATE 3269 INFO RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT IMMEDIATE 0002
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 4536 RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
IMMEDIATE RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI
IMMEDIATE
classification:CONFIDENTIAL
reference:06SECSTATE148157
?C
O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000727
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR D (FRITZ), EAP/FO, EAP/ANP, AND NEA/
NSC FOR VICTOR CHA
SECDEF FO...
?C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000727
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR D (FRITZ), EAP/FO, EAP/ANP, AND NEA/
NSC FOR VICTOR CHA
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISD LIZ PHU
PACOM FOR J01E/J2/J233/J5/SJFHQ
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/2016
TAGS: PREL, PTER, ECON, NZ
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND'S UNIFIL CONTRIBUTIONS
REF: SECSTATE 148157
Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Katherine B. Hadda,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Summary: GNZ plans to announce soon a year-long
deployment of a 4-person munitions team to Lebanon for
demining and disposal of unexploded ordinances. Defence
Minister Goff is also considering sending an additional team
to train Lebanese Armed Forces. Pending Cabinet approval,
GNZ also intends to extend its UNSO observers in Lebanon for
two years (to end of September 2008), and to add an
additional member to the group. End Summary.
2. (C) On September 15, Darryl Dunn, Director for the Middle
East and Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
(MFAT) and Matthew Paterson, Policy Officer in MFAT's
Security Policy Division, separately confirmed to PE Couns
that New Zealand will soon announce the deployment of a
4-person munitions team to Lebanon. GNZ would like the team,
which will engage in demining and disposal of unexploded
ordinances, to be embedded with the UN Mine Action Service
(UNMAS). NZDF plans to deploy the team for one year starting
in October 2006. MFAT has sent word of the planned
deployment to the NZ missions in New York and Washington, but
GNZ will not announce the deployment until it has UN
acceptance and a reliable force protection and logistical
support network has been identified.
3. (C) Dunn and Paterson say Defence Minister Goff is
additionally looking into sending an additional expert team
to train and advise the Lebanese Armed Forces in demining and
unexploded ordinance disposal, and to help with strategic
identification of areas in which to conduct this work.
4. (C) Cabinet approval for New Zealand's current UNSO
contributions expires in two weeks. According to Dunn and
Paterson, the Cabinet is being asked to approve on an
expedited basis the extension of the deployment to September
30, 2008. The current New Zealand deployment includes seven
observers and the UNSO Chief of Staff, Brigadier Lilley. The
UN has asked New Zealand additionally to fill the Golan
Heights Chief of Operations and Chief of Observer Group slots
with NZDF Lt. Colonels. New Zealand is looking to fill both
positions. As neither would be in Lebanon at the same time,
this would bring New Zealand's total UNSO observer commitment
to eight, the maximum that has been approved by the NZ
Cabinet. Paterson asks that USG officials keep this
information close hold until the Cabinet has approved the
extension.
McCormick
