20 September 2004

Dutch, Malaysian, Chilean, Indian and Czech envoys present credentials

The new Ambassadors of the Netherlands, Chile and the Czech Republic, and the High Commissioners for Malaysia and India, will present their credentials to Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright at Government House on Tuesday 21 September at 11.00am.

Ms Henrica ter Braack is the Netherlands new Ambassador to New Zealand. Since joining the Dutch Foreign Service, she has served in Austria, Sudan, Greece, and Trinidad and Tobago. She was most recently Dutch Ambassador to the Dominican Republic.

Career diplomat, Dato’ Sopian bin Ahmad is Malaysia’s new High Commissioner. He has had postings in the United Kingdom, Iran, Indonesia, Belgium, Thailand. Guinea and Pakistan. Prior to his posting to New Zealand, Dato’ Sopian bin Ahmad was seconded to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Jeddah as Assistant Secretary General.

Career diplomat, Mr Juan A Salazar Sparks is Chile’s new Ambassador to New Zealand. Since joining the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he has had postings in Argentina, Britain, Colombia and Australia. Prior to his posting to New Zealand, Mr Salazar held a number of senior trade and economic positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Santiago.

India’s new High Commissioner is Mr Harish Kumar Dogra. Since joining the Indian Foreign Service he has had posting in Austria, Laos, Germany and Turkey. Before his appointment to New Zealand, Mr Dogra held a senior position in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.

Mr Karel Pažourek is the Czech Republic’s new Ambassador. Mr Pažourek began his career as a city planner and architect. He joined the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1996 and worked in the Minister’s Office for a number of years until he was posted to India as Consul General in Mumbai. Prior to his posting to New Zealand, Mr Pažourek was working as Director-General in the Section of the Minister in the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ms ter Braack, Dato’ Sopian bin Ahmad, Mr Salazar and Mr Dogra are all resident in Wellington, while Mr Pažourek is cross-accredited from Canberra.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>