UNCLASSIFIED
New Zealand Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Manatū Aorere
195 Lambton Quay
16 June 2025
Private Bag 18−901
Wellington 6160
New Zealand
T +64 4 439 8000
F +64 4 472 9596
John Wilson
OIA 30076
[FYI request #30675 email]
Tēnā koe John Wilson
Thank you for your email of 9 April 2025 in which you request the following under the
Official Information Act 1982 (OIA):
all materials held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade regarding New
Zealand’s participation in the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting in Brussels in April
2025.
This includes, but is not limited to:
Any documents outlining the rationale for participation; Any analysis, reports, or
communications about the meeting; Any records of outcomes or implications
arising from participation.
Please include materials prepared before, during, or after the meeting, whether
internal or external, and regardless of format (e.g. emails, briefings, reports,
communications, notes, or assessments).
On
17 April 2025 we contacted you seeking refinement of your request, due to the
substantial collation and research required to locate the information potentially in scope.
On the same day, you agreed to refine the scope of your request to be for:
1.
The rationale for New Zealand's attendance at the NATO Foreign Ministers
Meeting in Brussels in April 2025
2.
Formal briefing prepared for New Zealand's attendance at the NATO Foreign
Ministers Meeting in Brussels in April 2025
3.
Formal report prepared as a result of New Zealand's attendance at the NATO
Foreign Ministers Meeting in Brussels in April 2025
On 20 May 2025, the timeframes for responding to your request were extended by an
additional 18 working days because responding to your request necessitated the review
of a large quantity of information, and due to the consultations necessary to make a
decision on your request (section 15A(1)(a) and (b) of the OIA refers).
UNCLASSIFIED
Page 2 of 2
Response to your request
Regarding part one of your request, the rationale for New Zealand’s attendance at the
NATO Foreign Minster’s meeting in Brussels in April 2025 was:
• The meeting provided an opportunity for New Zealand representatives to meet
counterparts and develop relationships with likeminded partners also in
attendance.
• Attending would help deepen political level engagement between the Indo-Pacific
Four (IP4) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). The IP4 is an
important grouping for New Zealand, as it allows us to work with key regional
partners and to raise awareness of our regional security concerns at NATO.
The following documents are in scope of parts two and three of your request:
− DCE P Taha Macpherson NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting, Brussels 3-4 April 2025
− FORMAL MESSAGE: IP4 ATTENDANCE AT NATO FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING
3-4 APRIL, dated 9 April 2025
Some information in these two documents is withheld under the following sections of the
OIA:
•
6(a): to avoid prejudicing the security or defence of New Zealand or the
international relations of the New Zealand Government;
•
6(b)(i): to protect the passing of information from another government on a
confidential basis;
•
6(b)(ii): to protect the passing of information from an international organisation on
a confidential basis;
•
9(2)(f)(iv): to protect the confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers of the
Crown and officials; and
•
9(2)(g)(i): to protect the free and frank expression of opinions by departments.
Where the information has been withheld under section 9 of the OIA, no public interest
in releasing the information has been identified that would override the reasons for
withholding it.
Please note that it is our policy to proactively release our responses to official
information requests where possible. Therefore, our response to your request (with your
personal information removed) may be published on the Ministry website:
www.mfat.govt.nz/en/about-us/contact-us/official-information-act-responses/ If you have any questions about this decision, you can contact us by email at:
[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.
Nāku noa, nā
Sarah Corbett
for Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade
