State Secretary of Foreign Ministry, Normans Penke, and the Ambassador of New Zealand to Latvia, Philip Wallace Griffiths, agree to strengthen co-operation [21 Nov 2006]

On 20 November 2006, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Normans Penke, met with the Ambassador of New Zealand to Latvia, Philip Wallace Griffiths, and discussed co-operation between Latvia and the European Union and New Zealand, and results of the first political consultations between both countries that were held in August this year.

The State Secretary and the Ambassador expressed their readiness to intensify the bilateral dialogue, especially in economics. Mr Penke informed the Ambassador that an introductory trip by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry to New Zealand would take place in December 2006. In 2005, Latvian exports to New Zealand has almost doubled (USD 1,047,849) in comparison with 2004 (USD 552,931), but in the first half of this year it has reached 90% of the volume in 2005 (USD 945,747).

Both officials agreed that close co-operation has developed between Latvia and New Zealand in international organisations. Mr Penke thanked the Ambassador for New Zealand's support to repeated election of the Latvian candidate Anita Usacka to the position of judge of the International Criminal Court.

Activities of the Latvian Honorary Consul in New Zealand targeted at strengthening the link between Latvia and New Zealand received a positive evaluation. At present the number of Latvians registered in New Zealand is 134, most of them residing in Christchurch and Auckland.

The political consultations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in New Zealand were held from 28 to 30 August this year. Discussed at the consultations were bilateral relations and security, regional and multilateral issues, including transformation of NATO and the UN Reform. The Latvian delegation was led by the State Secretary of the Foreign Ministry, Normans Penke. Officials of the Foreign Ministry of New Zealand were invited to visit Latvia in 2007.

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