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The Royal New Zealand Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessel HMNZS OTAGO has successfully completed its first patrol of the season in the Southern Ocean - one of the world’s most challenging environments.

“It is important to New Zealand and the world that we protect the fragile marine environment of the Southern Ocean by helping to tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing,” Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced changes to New Zealand’s representation in Europe following the closure of the embassy in Sweden.

Paula Wilson, recently appointed Deputy Head of Mission at the New Zealand Mission in Brussels, will become Ambassador to Belgium.

Brussels Head of Mission and Ambassador to the EU, Vangelis Vitalis, will also take responsibility as the accredited Ambassador to Sweden. 

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced New Zealand will provide further assistance to the Philippines to help with the recovery process following Typhoon Bopha.

Two weeks after Typhoon Bopha first hit the Philippines, the death toll stands at 1050, while 838 people remain missing.  Bopha affected 6.2 million people in 34 provinces, destroying thousands of homes and livelihoods.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully and Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman say an RNZAF C-130 Hercules has landed in cyclone-ravaged Samoa with additional relief supplies.

“At the request of the Samoan Government we sent a Hercules to Apia with essential humanitarian supplies and diesel generators to support the relief and recovery effort,” Mr McCully says.

“There is an urgent need for generators to ensure the Samoa Water Authority can pump and transport water to affected communities.

Governments of Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United States call for responsible behaviour at sea during the 2012-2013 Southern Ocean whaling season

The governments of Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United States jointly condemn any actions that imperil human life at sea during the 2012-2013 Southern Ocean whaling season.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today welcomed the adoption of a Commonwealth Charter - a document that sets out the history, objectives, values, and principles of the Commonwealth.

“New Zealand is an active member of the Commonwealth and a strong supporter of the values which bind the 54 member states,” Mr McCully says.

“Aside from our British heritage, Commonwealth countries share a commitment to democracy, the rule of law and human rights.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today named career diplomat Bernadette Cavanagh as New Zealand’s next High Commissioner to Singapore, with cross accreditation to the Maldives.

“Singapore is one of New Zealand’s closest partners in the region, but there is potential to do more,” Mr McCully says.

“The High Commissioner’s role is to champion the strengthening of the New Zealand/Singapore economic relationship, and increase cooperation with Singapore in ASEAN, APEC and other regional forums.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced provision of a further $2 million each for Samoa and Fiji to assist the next stage of recovery from Cyclone Evan.

The government has already provided $600,000 to Samoa and $400,000 to Fiji.

Mr McCully also announced that the P3 Orion that assisted Samoa with aerial assessment work in the early part of the week was moved to Fiji late yesterday to undertake similar work.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced the nomination of Dr the Rt Hon Lockwood Smith as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

Mr McCully describes New Zealand’s relationship with the UK as “one of our most important”.

“While we have strong historical connections, the relationship with the UK today remains one of our closest. It is appropriate that the appointment of our High Commissioner should reflect this.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced further assistance to Samoa in the aftermath of Cyclone Evan.

“New Zealand will be making an additional $550,000 immediately available to support relief and early recovery efforts in Samoa, taking our support so far to $600,000,” Mr McCully says.

Funding will be available to respond to official requests, to New Zealand non-government organisations and their partners on the ground, and the Samoa Red Cross.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced New Zealand will assist with immediate relief efforts in Fiji following Cyclone Evan.

“Our thoughts are with the people of Fiji as they respond to Tropical Cyclone Evan,” Mr McCully says.

“As a first step, New Zealand will make $50,000 immediately available to respond to specific requests from Fiji. Tarpaulins, water containers, generators and chainsaw packs are also on the way to Fiji on commercial flights.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced New Zealand will assist with the immediate response effort following Cyclone Evan in Samoa.

“At the request of the Samoan Government, New Zealand will provide a P3 Orion to undertake aerial surveillance and environmental health assessment expertise. We have also made available $50,000 to assist with the on-the-ground response,” Mr McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today condemned North Korea’s launch of a satellite using long-range ballistic missile technology.

“Once again North Korea has blatantly defied United Nations Security Council resolutions and ignored international appeals not to proceed with the launch.  This action can only aggravate tensions on the Korean peninsula and set back efforts to build peace and stability in the region,” Mr McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will tomorrow travel to the Pacific for meetings in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Kiribati and Tuvalu.

"The Marshall Islands will host the Pacific Islands Forum in 2013 and we are keen to support them given our recent experience hosting and chairing the Forum,” Mr McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced New Zealand will provide $500,000 to the International Federation of the Red Cross Appeal to help those most in need following Typhoon Bopha in the Philippines.

"More than 400 lives have been confirmed lost during this disaster and a further 383 are missing.  Around 230,000 people are thought to have been affected, with homes, roads, bridges, power and communications infrastructure either damaged or destroyed," Mr McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully is challenging the Labour Leader to make Phil Goff apologise or sack him following yesterday’s failed attack on Auckland lawyer Peter Kiely.

“Yesterday Mr Goff made allegations designed to damage the reputation of a respected citizen. His allegations were factually wrong, yet he has refused to apologise,” Mr McCully says.

“Mr Shearer needs to ask himself whether that is a standard he is prepared to accept.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully has called allegations made by Phil Goff MP against former Pacific Forum Line director Peter Kiely “reckless, cowardly and wrong”.

“By attacking Mr Kiely without checking the facts Mr Goff has impugned the reputation of a highly professional individual without any justification.

“Central to Mr Goff’s allegation is that Mr Kiely held shares in shipping company Sofrana at the time PFL, of which he was a director, was considering an offer from Sofrana.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today expressed serious concerns about North Korea’s plans to launch a satellite this month using a long-range ballistic missile.

“This latest announcement from North Korea is extremely disappointing and potentially destabilising. New Zealand considers the use of ballistic missile technology to conduct the proposed launch to be inconsistent with UN Security Council resolutions," Mr McCully says.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has confirmed that New Zealand will vote in favour of the resolution on the status of Palestine, due to go before the United Nations General Assembly this morning. But the Minister says a UN resolution is “a poor substitute for direct negotiations between the two parties”.

Mr McCully says the primary reason for voting in favour of the resolution is that it reflects the long-standing policy of the New Zealand Government.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully and Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman today confirmed the departure of the New Zealand platoon from the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI).

“RAMSI is a great example of a Pacific solution to a Pacific problem. At the request of the Solomon Islands Government, Pacific Island countries helped a friend in serious trouble,” Mr McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced three appointments to Antarctica New Zealand’s management board.

Carolyn Burns, Tony O’Brien and Rob Fyfe will serve three-year terms on the board responsible for managing New Zealand’s programme in Antarctica.

“Board members are required to successfully guide New Zealand’s activities in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. With these new appointments, I am confident the board has the right mix of skills and experience to do so,” Mr McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced the appointment of career diplomat Mark Talbot as High Commissioner to Tonga.

“Tonga is New Zealand’s closest independent neighbour and we work closely on a number of key matters, especially in relation to the Pacific Islands Forum,” Mr McCully says.

“Mr Talbot’s trade negotiations skills and experience supporting two successful Pacific Islands Forums will prove invaluable.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today named New Zealand’s next High Commissioner to Samoa as career diplomat Jackie Frizelle.

“New Zealand and Samoa have a strong and unique relationship – one that was cemented 50 years ago with the Treaty of Friendship,” Mr McCully says.

“Ms Frizelle has extensive experience in the Pacific and will bring an impressive mix of strategic and practical skills to her new role.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced New Zealand has formally lodged an intervention before the International Court of Justice in the case brought by Australia against Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean.

Intervention is a procedure that enables a non-party to the case to put its legal views before the court.