Hon Phil Goff
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade

11 October 2004
Media statement

NZ, Czech Republic to sign Working Holiday Scheme

New Zealand will later today become the first country in the world to sign a Working Holiday Scheme with the Czech Republic, says Foreign Minister Phil Goff.

“This agreement will enable young New Zealanders and Czechs to get to know each other’s countries and cultures, which will help forge stronger links between the two countries,” Mr Goff said.

"Like other Working Holiday Schemes that we have entered into, this arrangement will allow New Zealanders aged between 18 and 30 without children to work in the Czech Republic for up to a year, and for young Czechs to do the same here.

“New Zealand wants to strengthen its relationship with countries such as the Czech Republic that have recently joined the European Union. Working Holiday Schemes play a useful part in that process by helping increase contact and understanding between us at a people-to-people level,” Mr Goff said.

The agreement with the Czech Republic is New Zealand's 23rd Working Holiday Scheme, and the 12th with a European country.

New Zealand's Ambassador Peter Hamilton and Czech Deputy Foreign Minister Petr Kolar are due to sign the agreement in Prague today. Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright, who is currently on a State Visit to the Czech Republic, will attend the signing, as will Czech President Vaclav Klaus.

Mr Goff said New Zealand planned to implement the agreement in March next year, once internal procedures had been completed.

ENDS

All Phil Goff’s media releases and speeches are posted at www.beehive.govt.nz

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