Latest news with #MinistryofForeignAffairsandTrade
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Clarity needed on our Gaza stance
New Zealand's foreign policy stance on Palestine lacks transparency, John Hobbs writes. It is difficult to understand what sits behind the New Zealand government's unwillingness to sanction, or threaten to sanction, the Israeli government for its genocide against the Palestinian people. The United Nations, human rights groups, legal experts and now genocide experts have all agreed it really is "genocide" which is being committed by the state of Israel against the civilian population of Gaza. It is hard to argue with the conclusion genocide is happening, given the tragic images being portrayed across social and increasingly mainstream media. Prime Minister Netanyahu has presented Israel's assault on Gaza war as pitting "the sons of light" against "the sons of darkness". And promised the victory of Judeo-Christian civilisation against barbarism. A real encouragement to his military there should be no-holds barred in exercising indiscriminate destruction over the people of Gaza. Given this background, one wonders what the nature of the advice being provided by New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to the minister entails? Does the ministry fail to see the destruction and brutal killing of a huge proportion of the civilian people of Gaza? And if they see it, are they saying as much to the minister? Or is the advice so nuanced in the cloak of "diplomatic language" it effectively says nothing and is crafted in a way which gives the minister ultimate freedom to make his own political choices. The advice of the officials becomes a reflection of what the minister is looking for; namely, a foreign policy approach that gives him enough freedom to support the Israeli government and at the same time be in step with its closest ally, the United States. The problem is there is no transparency around the decision-making process, so it is impossible to tell how decisions are being made. I placed an Official Information Act request with the Minister of Foreign Affairs in January 2024 seeking advice received by the minister on New Zealand's obligations under the Genocide Convention. The request was refused because while the advice did exist, it fell outside the timeline indicated by my request. It was emphasised if I were to put in a further request for the advice, it was unlikely to be released. They then advised releasing the information would be likely to prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand and the international relations of the government of New Zealand, and withholding it was necessary to maintain legal professional privilege. It is hard to imagine how the release of such information might prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand or that the legal issues could override the public interest. It could not be more important for New Zealanders to understand the basis for New Zealand's foreign policy choices. New Zealand is a contracting party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Under the convention, "genocide, whether committed in time of peace or in time of war, is a crime under international law which they [the contracting parties] undertake to prevent and punish". Furthermore: The Contracting Parties undertake to enact, in accordance with their respective Constitutions, the necessary legislation to give effect to the provisions of the present Convention, and, in particular, to provide effective penalties for persons guilty of genocide. (Article 5). Accordingly, New Zealand must play an active part in its prevention and put in place effective penalties. Chloe Swarbrick's private member's Bill to impose sanctions is one mechanism to do this. In response to its two-month blockade of food, water and medical supplies to Gaza, and international pressure, Israel has agreed to allow a trickle of food to enter Gaza. However, this is only a tiny fraction of what is needed to avert famine. Understandably, Israel's response has been criticised by most of the international community, including New Zealand. In a carefully worded statement, signed by a collective of European countries, together with New Zealand and Australia, it is requested that Israel allow a full resumption of aid into Gaza, an immediate return to ceasefire and a return of the hostages. Radio New Zealand interviewed the Foreign Minister Winston Peters to better understand the New Zealand position. Mr Peters reiterated his previous statements, expressing Israel's actions of withholding food as "intolerable" but when asked about putting in place concrete sanctions he stated any such action was a "long, long way off", without explaining why. New Zealand must be clear about its foreign policy position, not hide behind diplomatic and insincere rhetoric and exercise courage by sanctioning Israel as it has done with Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. As a minimum, it must honour its responsibilities under the Convention on Genocide and, not least, to offer hope and support for the utterly powerless and vulnerable Palestinian people before it is too late. — John Hobbs is a doctoral student at the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Otago.
1News
5 days ago
- Politics
- 1News
New High Commissioner to the UK named
A former New Zealand ambassador to Japan, Russia, and Turkey has been appointed as the new High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, replacing Phil Goff in the post after he was sacked earlier this year. Hamish Cooper, who has 40 years of experience at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, will take up the role in September. Foreign Minister Winston Peters said New Zealand's relationship with the United Kingdom was "one of our most important". "Mr Cooper is one of New Zealand's most senior and experienced diplomats and is eminently well-qualified to take on this significant role." Chris Seed, who previously served as the New Zealand High Commissioner to Canberra and Port Moresby, was named in the role in an acting capacity. ADVERTISEMENT Goff made the comments which led Foreign Minister Winston Peters to declare his position "untenable" at a Chatham House event. (Source: Chatham House/YouTube) (Source: Supplied) Goff was fired after making comments on US President Donald Trump in a question he posed at a live-streamed Q&A event with Finland's foreign minister Elina Valtonen. He asked the speaker: "I was re-reading Churchill's speech to the House of Commons in 1938 after the Munich Agreement, and he turned to Chamberlain, he said, 'You had the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, yet you will have war.' "President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office. But do you think he really understands history?" Peters said the comments were "seriously regrettable" and made Goff's position "untenable". "When you are in that position — you represent the Government and the policies of the day. You're not able to free think. You are the face of New Zealand," Peters said. He did say it was a disappointing decision to have to make. ADVERTISEMENT "I've worked with Phil Goff, I have known him for a long time, I've worked in government with him, but it's just one of those seriously disappointing decisions one has to make." Former London representative says he was more than willing to pay the price for speaking out against US President Donald Trump. (Source: 1News) 'No regrets' Goff said he had "no regrets" about questioning Donald Trump's understanding of history, in his first public statement since being sacked from his diplomatic role. Goff said he asked the "serious and important question" about Trump — that led to his dismissal — because silence would have made New Zealand "complicit" in the US president's "disgraceful bullying" of Ukraine and its president Volodymyr Zelensky. He defended his actions in a lengthy letter, released to 1News. Goff said New Zealand could not remain silent while the Trump administration made "dishonest" and "untruthful" statements about Russia's invasion. "As one untruthful statement followed another like something out of an Orwell novel, I increasingly felt that the lies needed to be called out," he stated.
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Christchurch man believed killed trying to save wounded soldiers in Ukraine
A Christchurch man who died in Ukraine while helping the country's war efforts had earlier said he was living the dream. Twenty-six-year-old Shan-Le Kearns, from Christchurch, died in the past few weeks. He had posted on social media a slogan that translated to 'Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes'. A source in Ukraine said he had been trying to rescue wounded comrades when his group was hit by drones and explosives. Kearns died attempting to save fellow soldiers, and a Finnish soldier was killed alongside him, the source said. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it had not yet received any confirmation from Ukraine authorities and was urgently seeking information. However, it said the process may take some time given the situation on the ground in Ukraine. It said no further information could be shared, citing privacy reasons. Elis Kearns told 1News that her son was not on the front line but had been trained in combat so he could help rescue injured soldiers. He had been in Ukraine for two years and was intending to stay for another to fulfil his three-year contract, she said. Kearns is the fourth New Zealander known to have died in Ukraine. Dominic Abelen, 28, was killed on 23 August 2022; Andrew Bagshaw, 47, on 6 January 2023; and Kane Te Tai, 38, on 20 March 2023. The Weatherman Foundation is an American NGO which has been in Ukraine since the start of Russia's full scale invasion of the country. Kyiv-based Lauren Guillaume who is from the foundation's missing-in-action programme said the programme started out delivering humanitarian aid but had developed "to really cover the life of a soldier - all the way from treating the wounded in action both their physical wounds and mental PTSD wounds". The programme also supports the families of the missing in action and killed in action, she said. "Unfortunately these days the difference often between a missing in action and killed in action soldier is whether or not their body can be recovered from the battlefield," she said. "What our team does is investigate to identify their body and we also pursue a court case to help the family try to receive a death certificate in the terrible circumstance if a body cannot be recovered." The only way a family such as Sharn-Le Kearns' family can obtain a death certificate "is either through his physical repatriation or through a court case", she said. "So we are helping them in this process all the way from collecting DNA back in New Zealand, helping them to navigate the Ukrainian judicial system by helping them to collect witness testimonies and submit a case to the Ukrainian court, all the way to eventually helping them apply for the compensation that they're owed." The foundation's team also visits morgues all around Ukraine to look at unidentified remains on the chance that it could be him, she said.
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Chch man killed in Ukraine
A Christchurch man who died in Ukraine while helping the country's war efforts had earlier said he was living the dream. Twenty-six-year-old Shan-Le Kearns, from Christchurch, died in the past few weeks. He had posted on social media a slogan that translated to 'Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes'. A source in Ukraine told RNZ he had been trying to rescue wounded comrades when his group was hit by drones and explosives. Kearns died attempting to save fellow soldiers, and a Finnish soldier was killed alongside him, the source said. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it had not yet received any confirmation from Ukraine authorities and was urgently seeking information. However, it said the process may take some time given the situation on the ground in Ukraine. It said no further information could be shared, citing privacy reasons. Elis Kearns told 1News that her son was not on the front line but had been trained in combat so he could help rescue injured soldiers. He had been in Ukraine for two years and was intending to stay for another to fulfil his three-year contract, she said. Kearns is the fourth New Zealander known to have died in Ukraine. Dominic Abelen, 28, was killed on 23 August 2022; Andrew Bagshaw, 47, on 6 January 2023; and Kane Te Tai, 38, on 20 March 2023. The Weatherman Foundation is an American NGO which has been in Ukraine since the start of Russia's full scale invasion of the country. Kyiv-based Lauren Guillaume who is from the foundation's missing-in-action programme said the programme started out delivering humanitarian aid but had developed "to really cover the life of a soldier - all the way from treating the wounded in action both their physical wounds and mental PTSD wounds". The programme also supports the families of the missing in action and killed in action, she said. "Unfortunately these days the difference often between a missing in action and killed in action soldier is whether or not their body can be recovered from the battlefield," she said. "What our team does is investigate to identify their body and we also pursue a court case to help the family try to receive a death certificate in the terrible circumstance if a body cannot be recovered." The only way a family such as Sharn-Le Kearns' family can obtain a death certificate "is either through his physical repatriation or through a court case", she said. "So we are helping them in this process all the way from collecting DNA back in New Zealand, helping them to navigate the Ukrainian judicial system by helping them to collect witness testimonies and submit a case to the Ukrainian court, all the way to eventually helping them apply for the compensation that they're owed." The foundation's team also visits morgues all around Ukraine to look at unidentified remains on the chance that it could be him, she said.
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Reports New Zealander killed in Ukraine
Foreign affairs officials are urgently seeking information about reports of a New Zealander killed in war-torn Ukraine. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said tonight it had not yet received any confirmation from authorities in the eastern European nation. It said the process may take some time, given the situation there, and for privacy reasons no further information could be shared. The Kremlin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and Russia, which has been making advances, now holds around a fifth of Ukraine's territory, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014. Ukraine and its European allies have sought to push Russia into signing a 30-day ceasefire as a first step to negotiating an end to the war. Their efforts suffered a blow last week when US President Donald Trump declined to place further sanctions on Moscow for not agreeing to an immediate pause in fighting, as Kyiv had wanted. Trump said he has been trying to get Russia and Ukraine to agree to a ceasefire. - additional reporting by Reuters
