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Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today named career diplomat Hamish MacMaster as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

“New Zealand has a strong bilateral relationship with Saudi Arabia. It is our most significant market in the Middle East with over 4000 Saudi students coming to New Zealand each year,” Mr McCully says.

Mr MacMaster will work with both Saudi Arabia and the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to implement New Zealand’s recently launched strategy for the region.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today expressed deep disappointment that the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) did not reach a consensus on the creation of a marine protected area (MPA) in the Ross Sea region.

A CCAMLR special meeting in Bremerhaven, Germany, this week considered two MPA proposals - the New Zealand-United States Ross Sea region MPA and another by Australia, France and the European Union for a network of MPAs in East Antarctica.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will travel to East Africa next week for bilateral meetings and to attend the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) regional meeting in the Seychelles.

Mr McCully will meet key ministers in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Ethiopia, along with the President of the Seychelles, James Michel.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully held talks with his counterpart from the Republic of Tajikistan, HE Hamrokhon Zarifi, in Auckland today.

“Mr Zarifi’s visit is the first by a minister from the Republic of Tajikistan and presents an excellent opportunity to develop closer ties between our two countries,” Mr McCully says.

Mr McCully and Mr Zarifi shared perspectives on regional security issues, and reaffirmed New Zealand and Tajikistan’s commitment to multilateralism as a means for strengthening international security.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will travel to Myanmar tomorrow for bilateral meetings and to assess aid requirements in the state of Rakhine.

Mr McCully will depart from Brunei, where he is attending the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

“Myanmar’s Rakhine state has been the scene of communal tensions over the last 12 months and New Zealand has already provided $1 million to the UN World Food Programme’s emergency appeal,” Mr McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will travel today to Brunei for bilateral meetings and a series of ASEAN regional meetings.

Mr McCully will attend the ASEAN Regional Forum, East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers Meeting, and the ASEAN-New Zealand Ministerial Meeting.

“Our participation in these regional processes is important. It allows us a voice in discussions that can influence the regional political, security and economic environment,” says Mr McCully.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully launched the New Zealand Inc Strategy for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) during a speech to the New Zealand Middle East Business Council in Auckland this evening.

“New Zealand has a strong relationship with the Gulf region,” says Mr McCully. “Our exports to the GCC currently exceed $1.5b a year, and have grown at an average of over 10 per cent for the past three years.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today welcomed the Mauritanian Foreign Minister, Mr Hamadi Ould Baba Ould Hamadi, to New Zealand.

“The visit by Mr Hamadi is the first by a Minister from the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, and represents an opportunity to develop closer ties between our two countries,” says Mr McCully.

“As a country that straddles North and West Africa, Mauritania has a unique perspective on the region that can enhance New Zealand’s understanding of Africa and the role we can play there.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will travel to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories today for bilateral meetings and discussions on the Middle East Peace Process.

Mr McCully will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, as well as senior members of their governments.

“I will be making clear to both parties New Zealand's strong wish to see them commence direct talks while the two-state solution remains a viable prospect,” Mr McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will travel to Bail today for the Forum for East Asia and Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) Ministers’ meeting.

FEALAC was launched in 2001 to encourage closer links and cooperation between the two regions.

"New Zealand has significant ties with Asia and we are committed to developing closer relationships with Latin American countries through the Government’s Latin America Strategy," Mr McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully has welcomed a move by Australia to extend its student loan scheme to long-term New Zealand residents.

Australia’s Tertiary Education Minister Craig Emerson today announced many New Zealanders will, from January 2015, be eligible to apply for the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) for tertiary education or vocational training.

Japan and New Zealand have a long record of international cooperation based on shared interests and objectives.  The partnership between the two countries is founded on common values, such as democracy, human rights and the rule of law, as well as a strong commitment to peace and security, free trade and investment, and sustainable development.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced his Japanese counterpart, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, will visit New Zealand this weekend.

Mr Kishida’s visit will be the first by a Cabinet minister in Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government, which came into power in late 2012.

“Japan’s participation in the Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations opens a new chapter in our bilateral relationship,” Mr McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced New Zealand will provide a further $1.7 million to help those displaced by the conflict in Syria.

“New Zealanders continue to be appalled by the on-going death and destruction in Syria,” Mr McCully says

“The number of Syrian refuges in neighbouring countries has reportedly reached over 1.4 million, placing massive strain on the region.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced the appointment of an Honorary Consul to a new consulate in Perth, Western Australia.

“With the fastest growing economy of any Australian state, Western Australia has great potential for New Zealand businesses,” Mr McCully says.

“It is home to over 70,000 New Zealanders, and regular flights between Auckland and Perth have increased prospects for tourism and goods and services exports.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will depart Monday on a trip to India and Sri Lanka.

In India, Mr McCully will meet the External Affairs, Sports and Commerce ministers to discuss ways to further strengthen the bilateral relationship.

“This is also a chance to take stock of the NZ Inc India Strategy and review progress in our bilateral FTA negotiations,” Mr McCully says.

While in Sri Lanka, Mr McCully will meet the ministers of External Affairs and Economic Development.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says New Zealand will be among the first countries to sign the Arms Trade Treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly last month.

The Treaty, which is the first to regulate the global trade in conventional arms, opens for signature in New York on June 3.

“This Treaty is a landmark step in the international community’s efforts to mitigate the serious security and humanitarian consequences of the illicit arms trade,” Mr McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced New Zealand is providing a further $6 million to help Samoa recover from Cyclone Evan.

“The Samoan Government is working as quickly as possible to repair and rebuild - New Zealand is committed to supporting that effort,” Mr McCully says.

“This funding will go toward general reconstruction activities, with a focus on rebuilding for resistance to future natural disasters.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced the appointment of career diplomat John Mataira as Ambassador to Afghanistan.

“New Zealand has made a significant commitment to Afghanistan over the last 10 years, and while our Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) has now left Bamyan, that commitment will continue through our development projects and military personnel based in Kabul,” Mr McCully says.

Thank you for being here.

It's great to be back in Washington, and to see so many friends of New Zealand here today.

I attended the first of these forums in April 2006 and each subsequent gathering.

I want to reflect briefly on how the role of this Forum has changed, just as the NZ/US relationship has changed and continues to change.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will depart late this week on a two-week trip to the United States and Caribbean.

“The relationship between New Zealand and the US has gone from strength to strength over the last five years,” Mr McCully says.

In Washington, Mr McCully will meet his counterpart, Secretary of State John Kerry, and attend the fifth US-NZ Partnership Forum, which brings together public and private sector leaders from both countries for discussions on business, trade and investment, security, and foreign policy issues.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced the appointment of career diplomat Wendy Hinton as Ambassador to Poland.

“New Zealand and Poland have strong historical ties, having fought together in Europe in World War II, and this year we are celebrating our 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations,” Mr McCully says.

“Poland’s expanding economy offers opportunities for New Zealand business, particularly in education services and agri-business.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today named Clare Kelly as New Zealand’s new Ambassador to Mexico.

“Latin America is becoming an increasingly important partner for New Zealand,” Mr McCully says.

“Mexico is our largest trading partner in the region but there is huge scope to further advance our relationship through trade and economic links.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide such an important gathering with an update on New Zealand’s Foreign Policy.

I want to use this occasion to provide a quick review of the status of our relationships and from that base to look forward at some of the issues we will need to confront in the years immediately ahead.

I think I can report to you that all of our important relationships are in good repair.