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Acting Foreign Minister Todd McClay today expressed New Zealand’s deep disappointment at the Japanese Government’s decision that it will return to the Southern Ocean to undertake whaling this season.

“New Zealand is strongly opposed to whaling in the Southern Ocean. We call on Japan to take heed of the 2014 International Court of Justice decision and international scientific advice concerning their whaling activities,” Mr McClay says. 

Associate Foreign Minister Hon Todd McClay has reiterated New Zealand’s commitment to achieving an ambitious outcome to the upcoming Paris Climate change talks at the Asia-Europe Meeting Foreign Ministers Meeting (ASEM) in Luxembourg this week.

“Political momentum for the new climate change agreement to be concluded at COP21 in Paris is building,” says Mr McClay.

In his speech to the 53 European and Asian members of ASEM he said the Asia-Pacific region regularly experiences natural disasters where climate change is playing a role.

HRH the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Madame Chair – EU Representative and Vice President, Mogherini, Ministers, and delegates.

On behalf of the Northeast and South Asia group of Asian countries I would like to thank in advance Luxembourg and the European Commission for their excellent arrangements in hosting and chairing this ASEM Foreign Ministers Meeting.

Associate Foreign Minister Hon Todd McClay is travelling to Luxembourg to attend the biennial Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Foreign Ministers Meeting this week.

ASEM members include 53 European and Asian nations and represents nearly 60 per cent of the world’s GDP and around 60 per cent of its population. 

New Zealand is coordinator for the North East and South East Asian members of ASEM – a group that includes New Zealand, Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Japan, Kazakstan, Korea, Mongolia, Pakistan and Russia.

Todd McClay, Minister of Revenue and State Owned Enterprises, and Associate Minister of Trade and Foreign Affairs, departs this Sunday for a six-day visit to China, including Hong Kong.

In Hong Kong, Mr McClay will meet with the Secretary of Commerce and New Zealand exporters to discuss the opportunities for strengthening the trade and investment relationship. 

From Hong Kong, Mr McClay will travel to Beijing, where he will meet with senior Chinese leadership, including Vice-Premier Wang Yang and a counterpart in China's Ministry of Commerce.

Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs Todd McClay has represented New Zealand at the 30,000^th Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate, in Belgium.

Every night since 1928, the Last Post - the traditional final salute to the fallen - is played by volunteer buglers in Ypres.  They do this to honour the memory of those soldiers of the former British Empire and its allies, who died in the Ypres Salient during the First World War. It is the intention of the Last Post Association to maintain this daily act of homage in perpetuity.

Newly-released Cabinet papers show the previous Labour Government acted in bad faith around the Saudi sheep issue and was repeatedly warned its actions carried legal, commercial and diplomatic risks, Acting Foreign Minister Todd McClay says.

The papers relate to the export of sheep to Saudi Arabia and were to be released shortly under the Official Information Act.

The documents show that live sheep exports for slaughter stopped in 2003 but in the following year Labour began to negotiate a bilateral agreement with Saudi Arabia to resume those exports.

Revenue, SOE and Associate Trade and Foreign Affairs Minister, Todd McClay will travel to Singapore and Australia from16-21 March to help foster ties and grow New Zealand’s technology sector.

In Singapore, Mr McClay will open the New Zealand Technology Showcase, a programme designed to introduce New Zealand’s high-growth technology companies to international investors.

Associate Trade Minister Todd McClay will address the New Zealand Honorary Consul Conference of the Western USA and Hawaii in Los Angeles on Monday.

The opening address is one of a number of visits and meetings in his Revenue, Associate Trade and Associate Foreign Affairs portfolios.

Mr McClay will also visit the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Global Access Programme.