date:2006-05-24T22:38:00
source:Embassy Wellington
origin:06WELLINGTON398
destination:This record is a partial extract of the original cable.
The full text of the original cable is not available. 242238Z May 06

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000398

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/ANP DRICCI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2016
TAGS: PINR, KAWC, NZ
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND ATTENDANCE AT CONFERENCE ON GENOCIDE
AND ATROCITIES PREVENTION

REF: STATE 76257

(U) Classified by Political-Economic Counselor Katherine B.
Hadda.
Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d).

1. (U) This is an action message -- see para 4.

2. (C) On May 15, Poloff delivered reftel invitation to
Valerie Meyer; Deputy Director; United Nations, Human Rights,
and Commonwealth Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Trade (MFAT). Meyer responded that representatives from her
division would not be able to attend, but that she would
relay the invitation to Gerard van Bohemen, MFAT's
International Legal Advisor.

3. (C) On May 21, van Bohemen responded saying that Legal
Division will likewise find it difficult to attend the
conference, but requested further clarification about the
conference before making a final decision.

4. (C) Post requests Department assistance in responding to
the following questions from van Bohemen:

-- What will be the focus of the conference discussion? Is
it legally-focused or is it looking to establish some kind of
early warning system?

-- Is the intention to focus on avoiding the social and
economic circumstances that might give rise to such
atrocities?

-- If a Wellington-based GNZ official is unable to attend,
would representation from NZ's Embassy in Washington be
acceptable?
McCormick