16 November 2000

Prime Minister Helen Clark today welcomed an agreement between New Zealand, Brunei, Chile, Singapore and the United States to increase access to one another’s air services.

The ‘open skies’ agreement was announced at the APEC leaders’ meeting in Brunei today.

“As a geographically isolated nation, New Zealand is acutely aware of the importance of air services to economic prosperity. More competitive international air services will help to boost both trade and tourism.

“New Zealand is one of the APEC economies which have chosen to push ahead in seeking more competitive air services by agreeing to today’s “open skies” air services agreement. It covers a range of countries with whom, collectively, we have significant trading and other links.

“The agreement gives the countries involved a way of achieving greater openness in what has traditionally been a heavily regulated sector.

“The agreement builds on the statement issued by leaders after last year’s APEC meeting in Auckland, calling for ‘the identification of further steps to liberalise air services in accordance with the Bogor goals’.

“New Zealand therefore welcomes the conclusion of the open skies agreement and commends it as a model for other countries to adopt,” Helen Clark said.

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