Prime Minister John Key is to meet United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Vietnam tomorrow.Mr Key was today on his way to Vietnam, where he will attend the East Asia Summit in Hanoi, but his bilateral meetings with world leaders outside the summi
Prime Minister John Key is to meet United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Vietnam tomorrow.
Mr Key was today on his way to Vietnam, where he will attend the East Asia Summit in Hanoi, but his bilateral meetings with world leaders outside the summit will draw most attention, one of those with Mr Ban.
The two were likely to discuss a possible bid by former prime minister Helen Clark for the secretary-general role when Mr Ban's term ended in 2015.
Miss Clark heads the UN Development Programme.
Climate change, New Zealand's bid for a seat on the UN Security Council and the Pacific Islands Forum, to be held in Auckland next year, would also be discussed.
Mr Key will have his first official meeting with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard since her election, although she met with Labour leader Phil Goff in Australia this week.
Mr Key told NZPA he would talk to Ms Gillard about the regional refugee processing centre for asylum seekers or "boat people".
Ms Gillard announced her plans for the centre during the Australian election campaign, and Mr Key has said he supported the idea.
Mr Key will hope to have an informal chat with United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ahead of her visit to Wellington and Christchurch next week.
He said he would discuss the economic recovery, whaling and the situation in the Middle East with her.
Formal meetings were scheduled with leaders from Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Japan.
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully was also travelling to Vietnam. The ministers return to New Zealand on Sunday.
