New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Mexico will be career diplomat Paul Tipping, Foreign Minister Phil Goff announced today.

“New Zealand and Mexico already have a strong and well-developed bilateral relationship, and with the launch of the government’s new Latin America strategy last August, relations look set to move to a new level,” Mr Goff said.

“Mexico is our largest trading partner in Latin America, with two way trade totalling well over $NZ300 million. In addition to these trade ties, we share an interest in promoting global trade liberalisation through the WTO, and APEC, which Mexico is due to host in 2002.

“We also cooperate with Mexico in a wide range of multilateral fora on issues such as nuclear disarmament, the environment, human rights, and the reform of the United Nations. Our shared membership of the New Agenda on nuclear disarmament has been a particularly effective example of this type of cooperation in 2000,” Mr Goff said.

“These links reinforce the importance of our diplomatic ties with Mexico. I am pleased to be able to announce the appointment of such an experienced diplomat to this important role.”

Mr Tipping is currently Director of Policy Projects at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He joined the Ministry in 1965, and has served in Kuala Lumpur, Brussels, Seoul, Rarotonga, Santiago, and Madrid, the latter two as Ambassador. A former Rhodes Scholar, he also served as Director of the Domestic and External Security Secretariat in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet from 1997-2000.

Mr Tipping takes up his position in April, replacing Bronwen Chang, who is returning to Wellington.

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