NEW ZEALAND TO CONTRIBUTE TO ZIMBABWE ELECTION

UNCLASSIFIED,FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000175 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/ANP AND AF/S E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV, EAID, KDEM, NZ SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND TO CONTRIBUTE TO ZIMBABWE ELECTION REF: STATE 60286 1. (SBU) Pol/Econ Counselor spoke on June 5 with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) official handling the issue of GNZ assistance to the Zimbabwe Presidential run-off election later this month. Paul Roberts, Deputy Director of the UN office at MFAT, said that New Zealand's mission in New York would submit a letter of commitment shortly to the United Nations to support AU and SADC election observers in Zimbabwe. He confirmed that the assistance would total USD 50,000, and the money would be available as of June 11. 2. (U) On June 6, MFAT African desk officer David Irwin emailed the Mission a copy of Helen Clark's strongly worded statement condemning the recent detention of US and UK diplomats in Zimbabwe as well as the intimidation and violence directed against civil society and the political opposition. Post has emailed the statement to the desk as well as AF/S. MCCORMICK