Responsibilities under the Convention on Cluster Munitions

Andrew Ecclestone made this Official Information request to Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Response to this request is delayed. By law, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade should normally have responded promptly and by (details and exceptions)

From: Andrew Ecclestone

Dear Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade,

This is a request for information under the Official Information Act 1982.

On 22 December 2009 New Zealand ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions (https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetail...).

State parties to the Convention expressed the views that they were,
"Deeply concerned that civilian populations and individual civilians continue to bear the brunt of armed conflict,
Determined to put an end for all time to the to the suffering and casualties caused by cluster munitions a the time of their use, when they fail to function as intended or when they are abandoned,
Concerned that cluster munition remnants kill or maim civilians, including women and children, obstruct economic and social development, including through the loss of livelihood, impede post-conflict rehabilitation and reconstruction, delay or prevent the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, can negatively impact on national and international peace-building and humanitarian assistance efforts, and have other severe consequences that can persist for many years after use."

Article 1(c) of the Convention states that each party to the Conventions "undertakes never under any circumstances to...assist, encourage or induce anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Convention.

Article 21 of the Convention states (inter alia):
"1. Each State Party shall encourage States not party to this Convention to ratify, accept, approve or accede to this Convention, with the goal of attracting the adherence of all States to this Convention.
2. Each State Party shall notify the governments of all States not party to this Convention, referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article, of its obligations under this Convention, shall promote the norms it establishes and shall make its best efforts to discourage States not party to this Convention from using cluster munitions.
3. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 1 of this Convention and in accordance with international law, States Parties, their military personnel or nationals, may engage in military cooperation and operations with States not party to this Convention that might engage in activities prohibited to a State Party."

On 10 September 2024, New Zealand's Deputy Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva made a statement to the 12th Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/media-and-re...).

This noted the use of cluster munitions in Ukraine, and that "The United States has transferred cluster weapons of various kinds from its own stockpile to Ukraine. These actions will have economic, social, and environmental consequences for years to come, including in hampering recovery efforts in places where they have been used."

It has been reported that both Russia and Ukraine have been using cluster munitions during their armed conflict.

Please provide me with the following information:

1) The dates on which New Zealand, pursuant to Article 21(2), notified the governments of Russia, Belarus, Iran, Ukraine and the United States of its obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

2) The dates on which New Zealand, pursuant to Article 21(2), communicated to the governments of Russia, Belarus, Iran, Ukraine and the United States in accordance with its obligation to "make best efforts to discourage States not party to this Convention from using cluster munitions."

3) Copies of all communications falling within 1 and 2 above, and the replies received.

4) The dates since October 2020 on which legal advice was requested on what New Zealand needed to do to meet its obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

5) Copies of all requests since October 2020 for legal advice on what New Zealand needed to do to meet its obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

6) The dates since October 2020 on which legal advice was provided on what New Zealand needed to do to meet its obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

7) Copies of all legal advice provided since October 2020 on what New Zealand needed to do to meet its obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

8) The dates on which, since October 2020, advice has been provided to the Ministers of (a) Disarmament and Arms Control and (b) Foreign Affairs that relate to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and New Zealand's obligations under that Convention with regard to the conflict in Ukraine.

9) Copies of all advice since October 2020 to the Ministers of (a) Disarmament and Arms Control and (b) Foreign Affairs that relate to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and New Zealand's obligations under that Convention with regard to the conflict in Ukraine.

10) The dates of all meetings and correspondence with the Ministry of Defence since October 2020 that relate to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and New Zealand's obligations under that Convention with regard to the conflict in Ukraine.

11) Copies of all meetings notes and correspondence with the Ministry of Defence since October 2020 that relate to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and New Zealand's obligations under that Convention with regard to the conflict in Ukraine.

12) The dates, since October 2020, of any meetings or correspondence any MFAT official has had with any member or representative of the government of the United Kingdom that included mention of either country's obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

13) The dates, since October 2020, of any meetings or correspondence any New Zealand government minister has had with any member or representative of the government of the United Kingdom that included mention of either country's obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Under section 16 of the Official Information Act, my preferences are (a) to receive a copy of the whole of each document (b) that the information is disclosed in a text searchable format, either Word or PDF, (c) that it does not have a watermark of ‘Released under the Official Information Act’ or similar across the text and (d) that it is sent to the email address from which the Ministry received this request.

If the Ministry decides that there is 'good reason' under the OIA to withhold any of the information I am requesting, then under section 19(a)(ii) of the OIA, I further request that the Ministry provide me with the grounds in support of each withholding reason cited for refusal and the public interest factors favouring disclosure that the Ministry considered.

If the volume of information within the scope of our request is such that the Ministry is considering refusal under section 18(f), or any clarification is needed, please consult with me before making your decision on our request.

Yours faithfully,

Andrew Ecclestone

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From: ENQUIRIES
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

[UNCLASSIFIED]

Kia ora and thank you for your email.

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should call the 24/7 Consular emergency line on 0800 30 10 30 or +64 99 20
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From: ENQUIRIES
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

[UNCLASSIFIED]

Kia ora Andrew Ecclestone

Thank you for your OIA request received on 13 September 2024 for:

1) The dates on which New Zealand, pursuant to Article 21(2), notified the governments of Russia, Belarus, Iran, Ukraine and the United States of its obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

2) The dates on which New Zealand, pursuant to Article 21(2), communicated to the governments of Russia, Belarus, Iran, Ukraine and the United States in accordance with its obligation to "make best efforts to discourage States not party to this Convention from using cluster munitions."

3) Copies of all communications falling within 1 and 2 above, and the replies received.

4) The dates since October 2020 on which legal advice was requested on what New Zealand needed to do to meet its obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

5) Copies of all requests since October 2020 for legal advice on what New Zealand needed to do to meet its obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

6) The dates since October 2020 on which legal advice was provided on what New Zealand needed to do to meet its obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

7) Copies of all legal advice provided since October 2020 on what New Zealand needed to do to meet its obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

8) The dates on which, since October 2020, advice has been provided to the Ministers of (a) Disarmament and Arms Control and (b) Foreign Affairs that relate to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and New Zealand's obligations under that Convention with regard to the conflict in Ukraine.

9) Copies of all advice since October 2020 to the Ministers of (a) Disarmament and Arms Control and (b) Foreign Affairs that relate to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and New Zealand's obligations under that Convention with regard to the conflict in Ukraine.

10) The dates of all meetings and correspondence with the Ministry of Defence since October 2020 that relate to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and New Zealand's obligations under that Convention with regard to the conflict in Ukraine.

11) Copies of all meetings notes and correspondence with the Ministry of Defence since October 2020 that relate to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and New Zealand's obligations under that Convention with regard to the conflict in Ukraine.

12) The dates, since October 2020, of any meetings or correspondence any MFAT official has had with any member or representative of the government of the United Kingdom that included mention of either country's obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

13) The dates, since October 2020, of any meetings or correspondence any New Zealand government minister has had with any member or representative of the government of the United Kingdom that included mention of either country's obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

This email confirms receipt of your request and advises that we will respond to it as soon as reasonably practicable, and in terms of the timeframes and requirements of the OIA.

Please note that our response letter to you (with your personal details redacted), and any enclosed documents, may be published on the Ministry’s website.

Ngā mihi

Executive Services Division
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade | Manatū Aorere

-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Ecclestone <[FOI #28391 email]>
Sent: Friday, September 13, 2024 4:46 PM
To: ENQUIRIES <[MFAT request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Responsibilities under the Convention on Cluster Munitions

Dear Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade,

This is a request for information under the Official Information Act 1982.

On 22 December 2009 New Zealand ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions (https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetail...).

State parties to the Convention expressed the views that they were, "Deeply concerned that civilian populations and individual civilians continue to bear the brunt of armed conflict, Determined to put an end for all time to the to the suffering and casualties caused by cluster munitions a the time of their use, when they fail to function as intended or when they are abandoned, Concerned that cluster munition remnants kill or maim civilians, including women and children, obstruct economic and social development, including through the loss of livelihood, impede post-conflict rehabilitation and reconstruction, delay or prevent the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, can negatively impact on national and international peace-building and humanitarian assistance efforts, and have other severe consequences that can persist for many years after use."

Article 1(c) of the Convention states that each party to the Conventions "undertakes never under any circumstances to...assist, encourage or induce anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Convention.

Article 21 of the Convention states (inter alia):
"1. Each State Party shall encourage States not party to this Convention to ratify, accept, approve or accede to this Convention, with the goal of attracting the adherence of all States to this Convention.
2. Each State Party shall notify the governments of all States not party to this Convention, referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article, of its obligations under this Convention, shall promote the norms it establishes and shall make its best efforts to discourage States not party to this Convention from using cluster munitions.
3. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 1 of this Convention and in accordance with international law, States Parties, their military personnel or nationals, may engage in military cooperation and operations with States not party to this Convention that might engage in activities prohibited to a State Party."

On 10 September 2024, New Zealand's Deputy Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva made a statement to the 12th Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/media-and-re...).

This noted the use of cluster munitions in Ukraine, and that "The United States has transferred cluster weapons of various kinds from its own stockpile to Ukraine. These actions will have economic, social, and environmental consequences for years to come, including in hampering recovery efforts in places where they have been used."

It has been reported that both Russia and Ukraine have been using cluster munitions during their armed conflict.

Please provide me with the following information:

1) The dates on which New Zealand, pursuant to Article 21(2), notified the governments of Russia, Belarus, Iran, Ukraine and the United States of its obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

2) The dates on which New Zealand, pursuant to Article 21(2), communicated to the governments of Russia, Belarus, Iran, Ukraine and the United States in accordance with its obligation to "make best efforts to discourage States not party to this Convention from using cluster munitions."

3) Copies of all communications falling within 1 and 2 above, and the replies received.

4) The dates since October 2020 on which legal advice was requested on what New Zealand needed to do to meet its obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

5) Copies of all requests since October 2020 for legal advice on what New Zealand needed to do to meet its obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

6) The dates since October 2020 on which legal advice was provided on what New Zealand needed to do to meet its obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

7) Copies of all legal advice provided since October 2020 on what New Zealand needed to do to meet its obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

8) The dates on which, since October 2020, advice has been provided to the Ministers of (a) Disarmament and Arms Control and (b) Foreign Affairs that relate to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and New Zealand's obligations under that Convention with regard to the conflict in Ukraine.

9) Copies of all advice since October 2020 to the Ministers of (a) Disarmament and Arms Control and (b) Foreign Affairs that relate to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and New Zealand's obligations under that Convention with regard to the conflict in Ukraine.

10) The dates of all meetings and correspondence with the Ministry of Defence since October 2020 that relate to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and New Zealand's obligations under that Convention with regard to the conflict in Ukraine.

11) Copies of all meetings notes and correspondence with the Ministry of Defence since October 2020 that relate to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and New Zealand's obligations under that Convention with regard to the conflict in Ukraine.

12) The dates, since October 2020, of any meetings or correspondence any MFAT official has had with any member or representative of the government of the United Kingdom that included mention of either country's obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

13) The dates, since October 2020, of any meetings or correspondence any New Zealand government minister has had with any member or representative of the government of the United Kingdom that included mention of either country's obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Under section 16 of the Official Information Act, my preferences are (a) to receive a copy of the whole of each document (b) that the information is disclosed in a text searchable format, either Word or PDF, (c) that it does not have a watermark of ‘Released under the Official Information Act’ or similar across the text and (d) that it is sent to the email address from which the Ministry received this request.

If the Ministry decides that there is 'good reason' under the OIA to withhold any of the information I am requesting, then under section 19(a)(ii) of the OIA, I further request that the Ministry provide me with the grounds in support of each withholding reason cited for refusal and the public interest factors favouring disclosure that the Ministry considered.

If the volume of information within the scope of our request is such that the Ministry is considering refusal under section 18(f), or any clarification is needed, please consult with me before making your decision on our request.

Yours faithfully,

Andrew Ecclestone

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #28391 email]

Is [MFAT request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

"The information contained in this email message is intended only for the addressee and is not necessarily the official view or communication of the Ministry. If you are not the intended recipient you must not use, disclose, copy or distribute this message or the information in it. If you have received this message in error, please email or telephone the sender immediately."

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From: ESD
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

[UNCLASSIFIED]

Tēnā koe Andrew Ecclestone
 
I am writing concerning your Official Information Act request below. As
you note the volume of information in scope of your request is such that 
responding to your request would require the manual location and review of
a significant amount of information potentially in scope of your request. 
As such, it is likely that your request will be refused under section
18(f) of the OIA, as it would require substantial collation and research
to provide the information.
 
Accordingly, I am seeking your agreement to refine your request to be for:
       
        All timeframes are from 1 October 2020 to 13 September 2024.

 1. Communications between Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT)
officials and the governments of Russia, Belarus, Iran, Ukraine and
the United States relating to New Zealand’s obligations under Article
21(2) of the Convention on Cluster Munitions;
 1. Legal advice produced by MFAT relating to New Zealand’s obligations
under Article 21(2) of the Convention on Cluster Munitions;  
 1. Formal advice to Ministers produced by MFAT relating to New Zealand's
obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions with regard to
the conflict in Ukraine;
 1. Formal meeting notes and correspondence between MFAT and the Ministry
of Defence that relate to New Zealand's obligations under the
Convention on Cluster Munitions with regard to the conflict in
Ukraine;
 1. The dates of formal and planned meetings between New Zealand based
MFAT officials and British High Commission representatives to New
Zealand where the Convention on Cluster Munitions was a named agenda
item.

 
We note your section 16 request(s). Should processing these parts of your
request impair efficient administration, the Ministry may not be able to
make the information you requested available in your preferred format
(section 16(2)(a) of the OIA refers).
 
Please confirm if you are happy to proceed with the refined request above,
by 1 October 2024 If we do not hear from you, we will proceed with your
original request.
 
Ngā mihi
 
Executive Services Division
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade | Manatū Aorere
 
195 Lambton Quay, Private Bag 18901, Wellington 5045, New Zealand
[1]www.mfat.govt.nz | [2]www.safetravel.govt.nz
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Ecclestone
<[3][FOI #28391 email]>
Sent: Friday, September 13, 2024 4:46 PM
To: ENQUIRIES <[4][MFAT request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Responsibilities under the
Convention on Cluster Munitions
 
Dear Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade,
 
This is a request for information under the Official Information Act 1982.
 
On 22 December 2009 New Zealand ratified the Convention on Cluster
Munitions
([5]https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetail...).
 
State parties to the Convention expressed the views that they were,
"Deeply concerned that civilian populations and individual civilians
continue to bear the brunt of armed conflict, Determined to put an end for
all time to the to the suffering and casualties caused by cluster
munitions a the time of their use, when they fail to function as intended
or when they are abandoned, Concerned that cluster munition remnants kill
or maim civilians, including women and children, obstruct economic and
social development, including through the loss of livelihood, impede
post-conflict rehabilitation and reconstruction, delay or prevent the
return of refugees and internally displaced persons, can negatively impact
on national and international peace-building and humanitarian assistance
efforts, and have other severe consequences that can persist for many
years after use."
 
Article 1(c) of the Convention states that each party to the Conventions
"undertakes never under any circumstances to...assist, encourage or induce
anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this
Convention.
 
Article 21 of the Convention states (inter alia):
"1. Each State Party shall encourage States not party to this Convention
to ratify, accept, approve or accede to this Convention, with the goal of
attracting the adherence of all States to this Convention.
2. Each State Party shall notify the governments of all States not party
to this Convention, referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article, of its
obligations under this Convention, shall promote the norms it establishes
and shall make its best efforts to discourage States not party to this
Convention from using cluster munitions.
3. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 1 of this Convention and in
accordance with international law, States Parties, their military
personnel or nationals, may engage in military cooperation and operations
with States not party to this Convention that might engage in activities
prohibited to a State Party."
 
On 10 September 2024, New Zealand's Deputy Permanent Representative to the
Conference on Disarmament in Geneva made a statement to the 12th Meeting
of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions
([6]https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/media-and-re...).
 
This noted the use of cluster munitions in Ukraine, and that "The United
States has transferred cluster weapons of various kinds from its own
stockpile to Ukraine. These actions will have economic, social, and
environmental consequences for years to come, including in hampering
recovery efforts in places where they have been used."
 
It has been reported that both Russia and Ukraine have been using cluster
munitions during their armed conflict.
 
Please provide me with the following information:
 
1) The dates on which New Zealand, pursuant to Article 21(2), notified the
governments of Russia, Belarus, Iran, Ukraine and the United States of its
obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
 
2)  The dates on which New Zealand, pursuant to Article 21(2),
communicated to the governments of Russia, Belarus, Iran, Ukraine and the
United States in accordance with its obligation to "make best efforts to
discourage States not party to this Convention from using cluster
munitions."
 
3) Copies of all communications falling within 1 and 2 above, and the
replies received.
 
4) The dates since October 2020 on which legal advice was requested on
what New Zealand needed to do to meet its obligations under the Convention
on Cluster Munitions.
 
5) Copies of all requests since October 2020 for legal advice on what New
Zealand needed to do to meet its obligations under the Convention on
Cluster Munitions.
 
6) The dates since October 2020 on which legal advice was provided on what
New Zealand needed to do to meet its obligations under the Convention on
Cluster Munitions.
 
7) Copies of all legal advice provided since October 2020 on what New
Zealand needed to do to meet its obligations under the Convention on
Cluster Munitions.
 
8) The dates on which, since October 2020, advice has been provided to the
Ministers of (a) Disarmament and Arms Control and (b) Foreign Affairs that
relate to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and New Zealand's
obligations under that Convention with regard to the conflict in Ukraine.
 
9) Copies of all advice since October 2020 to the Ministers of (a)
Disarmament and Arms Control and (b) Foreign Affairs that relate to the
Convention on Cluster Munitions and New Zealand's obligations under that
Convention with regard to the conflict in Ukraine.
 
10) The dates of all meetings and correspondence with the Ministry of
Defence since October 2020 that relate to the Convention on Cluster
Munitions and New Zealand's obligations under that Convention with regard
to the conflict in Ukraine.
 
11) Copies of all meetings notes and correspondence with the Ministry of
Defence since October 2020 that relate to the Convention on Cluster
Munitions and New Zealand's obligations under that Convention with regard
to the conflict in Ukraine.
 
12) The dates, since October 2020, of any meetings or correspondence any
MFAT official has had with any member or representative of the government
of the United Kingdom that included mention of either country's
obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
 
13) The dates, since October 2020, of any meetings or correspondence any
New Zealand government minister has had with any member or representative
of the government of the United Kingdom that included mention of either
country's obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
 
Under section 16 of the Official Information Act, my preferences are (a)
to receive a copy of the whole of each document (b) that the information
is disclosed in a text searchable format, either Word or PDF, (c) that it
does not have a watermark of ‘Released under the Official Information Act’
or similar across the text and (d) that it is sent to the email address
from which the Ministry received this request.
 
If the Ministry decides that there is 'good reason' under the OIA to
withhold any of the information I am requesting, then under section
19(a)(ii) of the OIA, I further request that the Ministry provide me with
the grounds in support of each withholding reason cited for refusal and
the public interest factors favouring disclosure that the Ministry
considered.
 
If the volume of information within the scope of our request is such that
the Ministry is considering refusal under section 18(f), or any
clarification is needed, please consult with me before making your
decision on our request.
 
Yours faithfully,
 
Andrew Ecclestone
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.
 
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[7][FOI #28391 email]
 
Is [8][MFAT request email] the wrong address for Official Information
requests to Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade? If so, please contact
us using this form:
[9]https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
 
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[10]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
 
If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.
 
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The information contained in this email message is intended only for the
addressee and is not necessarily the official view or communication of the
Ministry. It may be legally privileged. If you are not the intended
recipient you must not use, disclose, copy or distribute this message or
the information in it as this may be unlawful. If you have received this
message in error, please email or telephone the sender immediately."

References

Visible links
1. http://www.mfat.govt.nz/
2. http://www.safetravel.govt.nz/
3. mailto:[FOI #28391 email]
4. mailto:[MFAT request email]
5. https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetail...
6. https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/media-and-re...
7. mailto:[FOI #28391 email]
8. mailto:[MFAT request email]
9. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
10. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

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From: Andrew Ecclestone

Dear MFAT,

Thank you for your email of 24 September 2024.

Since the Ministry is proposing that the scope of an amended request should still include the substance of communications with other nations, any legal advice, the advice to ministers and the records of meetings with the Ministry of Defence and the British High Commission, this will necessarily mean that it will be handling the material that records the dates of those public records. It is therefore difficult to see how including in my request the separately specified dates on which communications were sent, advice requested and received, etc, will make a substantive difference to the Ministry's task in responding to my request.

On the other hand, if I agreed to remove elements 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 12 from my request, MFAT may consider that it escapes the obligation to consider separately whether provision of those dates would cause any harm such that any of the withholding provisions might be triggered, or whether the public interest in disclosure outweighs any claimed harm.

I am puzzled by the Ministry's reference to 'manual location' of the information I am requesting, since I would have thought the Ministry's electronic information and records management system would index information both by reference to the 2009 Convention and by country, and by type of material (communication with another country, legal advice, advice to ministers, etc). Section 17(2) of the Public Records Act 2005 does, of course, require that 'Every public office maintain in an accessible form, so as to be used for subsequent reference, all public records that are in its control, until their disposal is authorised by or under this Act or required by or under another Act.'

I therefore do not agree to the Ministry's proposals for amending my request, and look forward to receiving its response.

Yours sincerely,

Andrew Ecclestone

Link to this

From: ESD
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

[UNCLASSIFIED]

Tēnā koe Andrew Ecclestone,

I am writing concerning your OIA request below. This email is to advise that we will need to extend the time limit for responding to you by 45 working days, to 16 December 2024. This is because:
1- The consultations necessary to make a decision on your request are such that a proper response cannot reasonably be made within the original time frame (section 15A(1)(b) of the OIA refers); and
2- Responding to your request necessitates review of a large quantity of information, and meeting the original time limit would unreasonably interfere with the operations of the Ministry (section 15A(1)(a) of the OIA refers).

However, if this process is completed before 16 December 2024, the response will be sent to you as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, you can contact us by email at: DM[email address]. You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision by contacting www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.

Ngā mihi

Executive Services Division
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade | Manatū Aorere

195 Lambton Quay, Private Bag 18901, Wellington 5045, New Zealand www.mfat.govt.nz | www.safetravel.govt.nz

-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Ecclestone <[FOI #28391 email]>
Sent: Monday, September 30, 2024 5:14 PM
To: ESD <[email address]>
Subject: Re: OIA 29681 - Ecclestone - Refinement Required

Dear MFAT,

Thank you for your email of 24 September 2024.

Since the Ministry is proposing that the scope of an amended request should still include the substance of communications with other nations, any legal advice, the advice to ministers and the records of meetings with the Ministry of Defence and the British High Commission, this will necessarily mean that it will be handling the material that records the dates of those public records. It is therefore difficult to see how including in my request the separately specified dates on which communications were sent, advice requested and received, etc, will make a substantive difference to the Ministry's task in responding to my request.

On the other hand, if I agreed to remove elements 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 12 from my request, MFAT may consider that it escapes the obligation to consider separately whether provision of those dates would cause any harm such that any of the withholding provisions might be triggered, or whether the public interest in disclosure outweighs any claimed harm.

I am puzzled by the Ministry's reference to 'manual location' of the information I am requesting, since I would have thought the Ministry's electronic information and records management system would index information both by reference to the 2009 Convention and by country, and by type of material (communication with another country, legal advice, advice to ministers, etc). Section 17(2) of the Public Records Act 2005 does, of course, require that 'Every public office maintain in an accessible form, so as to be used for subsequent reference, all public records that are in its control, until their disposal is authorised by or under this Act or required by or under another Act.'

I therefore do not agree to the Ministry's proposals for amending my request, and look forward to receiving its response.

Yours sincerely,

Andrew Ecclestone

-----Original Message-----

[UNCLASSIFIED]

Tēnā koe Andrew Ecclestone

I am writing concerning your Official Information Act request below. As you note the volume of information in scope of your request is such that responding to your request would require the manual location and review of a significant amount of information potentially in scope of your request. As such, it is likely that your request will be refused under section
18(f) of the OIA, as it would require substantial collation and research to provide the information.

Accordingly, I am seeking your agreement to refine your request to be for:

All timeframes are from 1 October 2020 to 13 September 2024.

1. Communications between Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) officials and the governments of Russia, Belarus, Iran, Ukraine and the United States relating to New Zealand’s obligations under Article
21(2) of the Convention on Cluster Munitions;
1. Legal advice produced by MFAT relating to New Zealand’s obligations under Article 21(2) of the Convention on Cluster Munitions;
1. Formal advice to Ministers produced by MFAT relating to New Zealand's obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions with regard to the conflict in Ukraine;
1. Formal meeting notes and correspondence between MFAT and the Ministry of Defence that relate to New Zealand's obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions with regard to the conflict in Ukraine;
1. The dates of formal and planned meetings between New Zealand based MFAT officials and British High Commission representatives to New Zealand where the Convention on Cluster Munitions was a named agenda item.

We note your section 16 request(s). Should processing these parts of your request impair efficient administration, the Ministry may not be able to make the information you requested available in your preferred format (section 16(2)(a) of the OIA refers).

Please confirm if you are happy to proceed with the refined request above, by 1 October 2024 If we do not hear from you, we will proceed with your original request.

Ngā mihi

Executive Services Division
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade | Manatū Aorere

195 Lambton Quay, Private Bag 18901, Wellington 5045, New Zealand [1]www.mfat.govt.nz | [2]www.safetravel.govt.nz

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