The United States and New Zealand share overwhelmingly common interests from regional architecture and climate change to the outward looking economic agenda regarding the Trans-Pacific Partnership.  The bilateral relationship has significantly improved.  Despite the positive trend, the highly influential US think-tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington D.C. argues that the relationship has not reached its full potential due to a lack of focus on some of the key pillars of cooperation.  The Council and its NZ counterpart agreed to fund the study. Both governments support the study, which is called "Pacific Partners: The Future of US-New Zealand Relations".  

The study is based on research on five areas within the bilateral relationship: security cooperation; science, technology and education links; trade and investment; socio-cultural ties and transnational issues (including humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, climate change, global health and nuclear non-proliferation); regional architecture.  

The timing is appropriate for a high level depth assessment of the bilateral relationship.  At the launch of the study, Kurt Campbell, Assistant Secretary of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, stated that "we (United States and New Zealand) are at the best possible place that we can be in terms of 25 years...(we) see the world in such similar terms- in fact, in many respects, much closer than some countries that would be described as formal allies in the current environment."  The nuclear issue has been put to one side and now the two nations are focusing on myriad other ways to cooperate across many sectors and to move the relationship forward.    

The study was undertaken by the CSIS in collaboration with the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs (NZIIA).  Preliminary findings and drafts were discussed and assembled in Washington D.C. in October and in Wellington in November.  A high level group of expert New Zealanders were assembled by the NZ-US Council, to join a similar group of Americans to provide an Advisory Board for the study.  The New Zealand Advisory Board members are former Prime Minister and Council Chairman Rt Hon James Bolger; former Foreign Minister and Commonwealth Secretary-General Rt Hon Don McKinnon; former Minister of Foreign Affairs and current NZIIA President Hon Russell Marshall; former Trade Minister Hon Jim Sutton; and former Ambassador to Washington Dr John Wood.  The American Advisorty Board Members are CSIS President John Hamre; US-NZ Council President John Mullen; Hon. Rick Larsen (D-Washington); Hon. Kevin Brady (R-Texas); former Deputy Secretary of State Rich Armitage.  

The final results of the study will be presented at the fourth New Zealand Partnership Forum which will be held in Christchurch on 20-22 February 2011.  

The report was released in February 2011.  To view it click here.