Foreign Affairs Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed the announcement that United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will visit New Zealand next week.

Secretary Tillerson will meet with Prime Minister Bill English and Minister Brownlee in Wellington on June 6.

“New Zealand and the United States enjoy a long-standing friendship,” Mr Brownlee says.

“We share a deep interest in maintaining peace, prosperity and stability in the Asia Pacific region and we have worked closely together to counter terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan. The United States is our third-largest individual trading partner.

“We welcome Secretary Tillerson’s visit as a chance to strengthen the close relationship between New Zealand and the United States, to discuss some of the world’s most pressing issues, and to further promote our economic ties,” Mr Brownlee says.

| A release from the Beehive  ||  May 31, 2017   |||