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Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced an additional $100,000 for Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge Tribunal, taking New Zealand’s total contribution to $1 million.

The announcement was made in Phnom Penh during a meeting between Mr McCully and his Cambodian counterpart, Foreign Minister Hor Namhong.

Mr McCully says New Zealand is a strong supporter of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal – which has a mandate to try senior leaders and those most responsible for genocide and crimes against humanity during the Khmer Rouge rule.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will travel to Southeast Asia today for a series of meetings with the region’s leaders.

Mr McCully will attend the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers Meeting and ASEAN Regional Forum in Cambodia before heading to Thailand and the Philippines.

“These meetings are an important opportunity to profile New Zealand’s growing relationship with ASEAN and to share our views on key political, security and economic issues affecting the region,” Mr McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today expressed his condolences following the death of former Cook Island Prime Minister Sir Terepai Maoate.

“On behalf of New Zealand, my thoughts go out to Lady Marito, Sir Terepai’s wider family and to the people of the Cook Islands who have lost another key political figure this year,” Mr McCully says.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully says the Korean announcement of an intention to commence a so-called scientific whaling programme in the North West Pacific is "a serious setback for those who are committed to conservation of the species".

Mr McCully says he hopes Korea will carefully consider the concerns of countries like New Zealand before making any final decisions.

New Zealand Members of Parliament (MPs) are among official observers of Timor-Leste’s Parliamentary Election this weekend.

New Zealand responded to a request from Timor-Leste for international observers for the election, which follows the Presidential Election earlier this year. Twenty four political parties are expected to contest the election.

The MPs are Phil Goff, Lindsay Tisch, Dr Kennedy Graham, Jacqui Dean and Barbara Stewart. Mr Goff and Mr Tisch are part of an ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Regional Forum observer mission.

New Zealand will push for a comprehensive treaty at the United Nations negotiations in New York this week to stop the illicit trade of conventional weapons.

“These weapons often end up in the hands of terrorists, criminals and human rights abusers,” Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says.

May I start by placing on record my thanks to Professor Bill Harris and his team from Otago University for inviting me to address the Otago Foreign Policy School once again.

I intend to speak about both the strategic and economic significance of the Middle East to New Zealand.

Sadly, we are reminded by our television screens most evenings that the Middle East remains the world’s major source of potential and actual conflict.

We now have, in effect, a civil war in Syria.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will travel to Tokyo on Sunday to mark 60 years of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and Japan.

In Tokyo, Mr McCully will hold discussions with Foreign Minister Gemba on the bilateral relationship, including developments in the defence, aviation and double taxation arrangements, regional economic and security issues, and development cooperation in the Pacific and Afghanistan.

Mr McCully will meet a range of other influential ministers, political figures and opinion leaders.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced New Zealand will provide $1.75 million in humanitarian aid to crises in Africa and the Middle East.

“The on-going and systematic violence in Syria is of extreme concern to the international community and it is forcing large numbers of people from their homes and into neighbouring countries,” Mr McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced a three-year support package of $24 million for Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA) to help place skilled New Zealand volunteers in developing countries.

“New Zealand is a world leader in areas like agriculture and tourism development that are vital for developing countries, especially in the Pacific,” Mr McCully says.

I want to begin by thanking the Institute for providing me with this opportunity to provide an update on the state of our UN Security Council campaign.

I intend to use the occasion to put on record the ground rules under which we are contesting a UN Security Council seat – because in some respects we appear to be testing what appears to have become conventional wisdom about such campaigns, and I want to make it clear that we are doing so with our eyes open.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today welcomed the signing of a two year agreement with international company PB Sea-Tow to provide a safe and reliable ferry service for Tokelau.

“The ferry service between Apia and Tokelau is a vital lifeline,” Mr McCully says.

“Tokelau can only be reached by ship, and since the previous ferry, theMVTokelau, was taken off route earlier this year New Zealand has beenhelping to find a replacement solution.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully has welcomed the European Union’s continued engagement in the Pacific region following the Second Ministerial Meeting between the EU and Pacific Islands Forum in Auckland today.

The meeting was chaired by Mr McCully alongside Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna and Vanuatu Finance Minister Moana Carcasses Kalosil. The EU was represented by Danish Minister for Development Cooperation Christian Friis Bach and EU Commissioner for Development Mr Andris Piebalgs.

The New Zealand Defence Force is assisting the upcoming June election in Papua New Guinea, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully and Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman announced today.

“Following a request from the PNG government, New Zealand will support the local authorities in the delivery of a safe, free and fair election by providing logistical support and observers,” Mr McCully says.

“We will work alongside the Australian Defence Force which is also assisting in the election process.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says New Zealand fully supports Australia’s decision to expel a Syrian diplomat who was also accredited to New Zealand.

“New Zealand stands resolutely behind the Australian action of expelling the Syrian Charge d’affairés from Canberra,” Mr McCully says.

“I have been in direct contact with Foreign Minister Carr to discuss this action.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced the appointment of ambassadors to Thailand and Viet Nam and Consul-General in Shanghai.

“Asia is a vitally important region for New Zealand and we are actively seeking closer relationships to ensure business and economic growth,” Mr McCully says.

Career diplomats Tony Lynch and Haike Manning will be New Zealand’s next ambassadors to Thailand and Viet Nam respectively, with Matthew Dalzell, another career diplomat, appointed to Consul-General in Shanghai.

Distinguished Guests, including Assistant Secretary of State Dr Esther Brimmer and, our moderator today, Mr Ernie Bower from the Center of Strategic and International Studies.

It gives me great pleasure to be here this afternoon on this important occasion.

Ties between the United States and the Pacific region go back as far as there has been a United States of America.

It seems appropriate that today we should acknowledge the role of the Pacific War in reinforcing and strengthening our relationship.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully has announced the government now expects transition in Afghanistan’s Bamyan province to be formally concluded later in 2012, and the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) to be withdrawn later in 2013.

Mr McCully says the earlier conclusion of transition and withdrawal "reflects the outstanding work that New Zealand PRT personnel have done to prepare the province for transition to local control".

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced the closure of the Stockholm embassy in Sweden as part of $10 million of savings in the Ministry’s European posts.

The Stockholm post was opened by the Clark government in 2008 and downsized by the current government in 2009.

“New Zealand enjoys an excellent relationship with Sweden and with its Scandinavian neighbours, but in today’s world it is not always necessary to have a diplomatic presence to maintain such a relationship,” Mr McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will travel to North America tomorrow for a number of international meetings.

Mr McCully is leading the New Zealand delegation, including Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman, to the 25th NATO Summit in Chicago.

The summit, hosted by US President Barack Obama, brings together NATO members and contributors to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan.

Mr McCully will also travel to Washington, New York and Montreal, Canada.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully has expressed his condolences following the death of former Cook Island Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Henry.

“On behalf of New Zealand, I offer my thoughts to Lady Louisa, the Henry family and to the people of the Cook Islands who have lost a key figure in their recent history,” Mr McCully says.

Sir Geoffrey, who was 72, twice served as Prime Minister of the Cook Islands - in 1983 and from 1989-1999. In 1992 he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced further support for international efforts in Syria, including an offer to deploy additional military observers.

New Zealand has offered the UN’s Supervision Mission in Syria a team of five New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel. Should the offer be accepted, the team will replace two NZDF personnel temporarily redeployed to the mission.

The Rt Hon Jim Bolger, Ambassador Huebner, Parliamentary colleagues past and present, distinguished guests: thank you for the opportunity to talk to you today about the strong and developing partnership between our country and the United States of America.

The ten years since the establishment of the NZ/US Council has seen the relationship gain remarkable momentum.

I want to personally thank the Council for its role in getting us to where we are today.

Next year the US/NZ Council, its American counterpart, will host the Partnership Forum in Washington DC.

The Rt Hon Jim Bolger, Ambassador Huebner, Parliamentary colleagues past and present, distinguished guests: thank you for the opportunity to talk to you today about the strong and developing partnership between our country and the United States of America.

The ten years since the establishment of the NZ/US Council has seen the relationship gain remarkable momentum.

I want to personally thank the Council for its role in getting us to where we are today.