Hon Dr Lockwood Smith
National Party Foreign Affairs & Trade Spokesman
31 March 2005
NZ's trade team must be resourced adequately
National’s Foreign Affairs and Trade Spokesman, Lockwood Smith, says it is vital that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and Trade is resourced adequately to provide a strong team to pursue the vitally important and broad trade agenda under
way.
He is commenting after the announcement that New Zealand and Malaysia are to begin negotiations on a Free Trade
Agreement as soon as possible.
“These negotiations are great news, even though they come nearly a year after Australia began its talks with Malaysia.
“An agreement with Malaysia has the potential to bring great benefit to both countries and will help galvanise progress
on the free trade negotiations between the 10 Asean countries and New Zealand and Australia.
“But, with the Doha Round at the World Trade Organisation at a crucial stage, the Chilean/Singapore/New Zealand
three-way deal requiring good progress, and the Asean and Chinese negotiations under way, it is vital that the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and Trade has the resources to do the job well for New Zealand,” Dr Smith says.
Ends