Smith to be First to Meet Key Russian Ministers

Trade Minister Lockwood Smith is scheduled to be the first foreign guest of key ministers in the new Russian Government when he visits our fastest growing export market this week.

Meetings are scheduled with Agriculture and Food Minister Viktor Semyonov, Deputy Foreign Minister Gregorii Karasin and Chief WTO negotiator Georgii Gabouniya.

During his meeting with Dr Semyonov, Dr Smith will sign a bilateral veterinary agreement which will help us to resolve sanitary or phytosanitary problems of the kind that threatened to stop our food exports to Russia three years ago.

In addition, Dr Smith will address the Economic Policy and Agriculture committees of the State Duma and the Russian Diplomatic Academy on APEC, trade liberalisation and agricultural reform.

His visit will also be the first to Moscow by a New Zealand minister since his predecessor Philip Burdon led a trade delegation to Russia in 1995. While in Moscow, he will visit New Zealand Milk Products and host a reception for New Zealand businesspeople based in Russia and Russian businesspeople with an interest in New Zealand.

"New Zealand's relationship with Russia is set to enter a new phase," Dr Smith said. "Russia joins APEC in November this year, just before New Zealand takes over from Malaysia as chair. We are also working with Russia on the terms of its accession to the World Trade Organisation, with New Zealand exporters standing to gain considerably from a successful outcome from the accession process."

Dr Smith sees scope for significant growth in the value and breadth of New Zealand exports to Russia.

"Russia is already our fastest growing export market, with exports in 1997 being 64% higher than in 1996. It is New Zealand's biggest market for butter and the largest by volume for dairy products. Other important exports are apples, meat and even ice cream, but I want to see the range of New Zealand products in the country expand.

"Russia is not without its problems, but they are not insurmountable and the country offers us great potential as companies like the New Zealand Dairy Board and NewTrade have shown."

Enroute to Moscow, Dr Smith will stop in London to help Meat New Zealand promote New Zealand lamb at world renowned New Zealand chef Peter Gordon's exclusive restaurant The Sugar Club.

Dr Smith departs Moscow on Saturday and will head to Geneva for the World Trade Organisation meeting starting next week.