NZUS Council Welcomes Opening of Consulate in Hawaii

The NZ US Council warmly welcomes the prospective opening of a New Zealand Consulate General office in Honolulu announced by Foreign Minister Murray McCully last week.

“Honolulu is the focus of a number of important aspects of our relationship with the United States,” said NZ US Council Associate Director, Suse Reynolds.

“As well as being the destination of an increasing number of New Zealand tourists, who are often on their way to the U.S. mainland, Honolulu is the focus for some important policy links through the East West Centre and US Pacific Command.

“The East West Center, which promotes better relations between the U.S. and the Asia Pacific region, published the quantitative study, led by Professor Peter Petri about the benefits of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) currently under negotiation,” said Suse Reynolds.

The NZ US Council also notes the US Pacific Command has for many years played an important role in NZ/US cooperation and in disaster recovery in the region. Last year for example the U.S. and New Zealand co-chaired a meeting of Pacific Army Chiefs focused enhancing work in United Nations peace-keeping missions.

ENDS

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