John Kerry Remarks with NZ Foreign Minister Murray McCully

Remarks with New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully

Remarks

John Kerry
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

July 27, 2015

________________________________________

SECRETARY KERRY: Hello, everybody. My great privilege to welcome the foreign minister of New Zealand here. Murray is a close friend now. We have worked together for a number of years. I am particularly grateful, as is President Obama, for New Zealand’s very strong support of the agreement with Iran, and we were privileged to have New Zealand as the presidency of the Security Council when it was passed – the resolution the other day embracing this agreement.

But beyond that, we have a long and very close working relationship with New Zealand on any number of issues. New Zealand’s support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership was early and strong. They are a critical partner with us in all of the efforts of the ASEAN, the Southeast Asia Pacific efforts, the APEC, and the East Asia Summit. So on broad issues of national security, international economics and concerns, particularly in counterterrorism in today’s world, they are one of our strongest partners, and I’m very, very appreciative for that and look forward to our conversation.

Murray, great to have you aboard.

FOREIGN MINISTER MCCULLY: Thank you very much.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER MCCULLY: Thank you, and can I just take the opportunity of saying on behalf of the New Zealand people and the New Zealand Government how much we appreciate the strong leadership you’ve given to bring the Iran deal to the successful conclusion that it’s reached. We thank you for your patient diplomacy which has achieved this.

I had the privilege last Monday of chairing the United Nations Security Council when there was unanimous endorsement of that resolution endorsing the deal. But more than that, there was a sense also of optimism and hope that this package would provide an opportunity to reset some relationships in the region and provide a base over time from which we might be able to resolve some of the other serious challenges and conflicts in the Middle East.

So congratulations on what you’ve achieved. We wish you well in what you have yet to achieve. The world really owes you a debt and we thank you.

SECRETARY KERRY: Murray, thank you very, very much. Thank you. Thank you all very much.

© Scoop Media