Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will travel to Washington D.C. tomorrow for talks with US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and other senior members of the US Administration.
"The United States is a very close strategic partner for New Zealand. Our two countries enjoy a deep, long-lasting friendship that is based on shared interests and democratic values," says Mr Peters.
"Secretary Pompeo and I have been in regular contact this year at various regional meetings and we have a good working relationship."
Mr Peters will also meet with US Vice President Mike Pence, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and National Security Adviser John Bolton.
"This visit is an excellent opportunity to engage with US policy makers on a number of issues important to both our countries. We look forward to discussing the breadth of our shared interests, and the potential for increased cooperation on the region closest to New Zealand," Mr Peters says.
While in Washington, D.C., Mr Peters will also deliver a speech focused on how
New Zealand and the United States can strengthen cooperation to address challenges in the Pacific.
Mr Peters will be travelling from 13-19 December.
