GovWire

The Foreign Secretary welcomed collaboration with New Zealand on aviation security, including proposals to hold a UN security Council meeting during the UN General Assembly in September.

Both Ministers discussed current international security threats, including the evolving threat from Daesh and the situation in Ukraine.

The Foreign Secretary also welcomed New Zealands troop deployments to Afghanistan and highlighted the need for ongoing international support for the government in Kabul.

The Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, said:

It was a great pleasure to host Foreign Minister McCully in London. The UK and New Zealand are not only longstanding friends but we are like-minded global partners across the full range of challenges facing the world today.

With New Zealand on the UN Security Council, we are working even more closely to promote global peace and stability. As partners in the Commonwealth, we share values, history, language and systems of law and order.

We discussed the dynamic trading relationship between our two countries and I emphasised that the UK remains firmly open for business. We are the same outward-looking, globally-minded, big-thinking country we always have been.

The government strongly welcomed New Zealands enthusiasm following the EU referendum for a Free Trade Agreement with the UK in the future. The UK will want the strongest possible economic and people to people links with a close friend and important partner like New Zealand in years to come.

Further information

• Follow the Foreign Secretary on Twitter @BorisJohnson and Facebook

• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook

• Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

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