Rt Hon Winston Peters
Minister of Foreign Affairs

20 March 2008
Media statement

Peters to meet new Australian Foreign Minister

Foreign Minister Winston Peters will meet his new Australian counterpart, Stephen Smith, in Auckland next Tuesday for their first round of regular six-monthly consultations.

“The relationship between New Zealand and Australia is as close a relationship between countries as can be found anywhere in the world, and I look forward to welcoming Mr Smith to New Zealand,” Mr Peters said.

“These regular talks between the two Ministers are an important opportunity to discuss key aspects of the relationship, as well as to exchange views on regional and global issues of concern to our two countries.

“There is a wide range of issues to be discussed, including the ongoing efforts of both countries to support good governance and stability in the Pacific.

“Mr Smith and I will both be attending the Forum Foreign Ministers’ meeting on Fiji the day after our talks, so it is natural that Fiji will be a key topic for us.

“We will also discuss developments in places such as Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Afghanistan and North Korea; regional security; our deepening engagement with Asia, and our relations with the US,” Mr Peters said.

The Foreign Ministers’ consultations have been an established feature of the government-to-government relationship for over 15 years, with the venue for the talks alternating between the two countries.

ENDS

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