- Rt Hon Winston Peters
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters says relations between New Zealand and the United States are on a strong footing, as he concludes a week-long visit to New York and Washington DC today.
"We came to the United States to ask the new Administration what it wants from New Zealand, and we conveyed what we would like from them," Mr Peters says.
"The United States is an indispensable partner for New Zealand. We face the most challenging strategic environment in at least half a century, and there's a lot happening at present in the Indo-Pacific and indeed our world. This means it has been a seriously valuable time to be here in the United States building relationships and sharing perspectives."
While in Washington DC, Mr Peters met Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Head of the US Office of Foreign Assistance Peter Marocco, and a range of other Administration and Congressional representatives.
"This has been a very successful visit, benefiting from constructive, productive and wide-ranging conversations. We have agreed with the United States that we should continue to work together for a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
"We have also talked about all the areas where New Zealand and the United States have interests in common. These include the prosperity and stability of the Pacific Islands, promoting a balanced and mutually beneficial trade and economic relationship, and cooperating more on space and technology and in Antarctica.
"This visit has provided the starting point for considering what constructive cooperation between New Zealand and the United States might look like in the months and years ahead. It is just the first step. We will now go back to New Zealand to discuss with Cabinet colleagues what we have learned here in Washington."
Prior to his visit to Washington DC, Mr Peters also engaged with a number of partners in New York, including President of the UN General Assembly Philémon Yang and UN Under Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo.
"As a small country, we depend on the international rules-based system to provide stability, predictability, and the platform to advocate fairly for our interests. It is important we continue to discuss how we can work together to reform the UN system so that it can better promote the security and prosperity that we all strive for."
Mr Peters leaves the United States for New Zealand later today.
