Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will travel to Europe today to open two new New Zealand embassies, hold bilateral talks, and attend Armistice Day centenary commemorations.
In Sweden Mr Peters will open New Zealand’s Embassy in Stockholm. He is also scheduled to meet with Sweden’s Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, Deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lövin, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Margot Wallström, and will deliver a speech at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs.
“A stronger relationship with Sweden and other Nordic countries will allow New Zealand to advance our interests in the European Union, and take advantage of opportunities arising from an EU-NZ Free Trade Agreement”, said Mr Peters.
Mr Peters will then travel to London to meet with UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt to discuss relations with the UK as it redefines its global role post-Brexit. The two Foreign Ministers will also mark the Armistice Day centenary with a half-time tribute during the All Blacks-England test match at Twickenham.
The Minister will also represent New Zealand at Armistice Day commemorations in France and attend the Paris Peace Forum, which is being convened by President Emmanuel Macron to discuss current global security challenges.
Mr Peters will then travel to Dublin to open New Zealand’s first resident Embassy in Ireland. He will hold talks with the Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney. While in Dublin he will also deliver a speech to the Institute of International and European Affairs.
On his return leg from Europe, the Foreign Minister will attend the East Asia Summit in Singapore and APEC meeting in Papua New Guinea.
Mr Peters departs for Europe on 7 November and returns on 19 November.
