Prime Minister John Key is to head to London next week to visit the Queen and the British PM.Mr Key is going to the United Kingdom and France for bilateral talks with leaders and senior government representatives, and to attend the unveiling of a memorial
Prime Minister John Key is to head to London next week to visit the Queen and the British PM.
Mr Key is going to the United Kingdom and France for bilateral talks with leaders and senior government representatives, and to attend the unveiling of a memorial for New Zealand World War 2 hero Sir Keith Park.
He is scheduled to meet British Prime Minister David Cameron, and with his wife Bronagh will make a private visit to the Queen at the royal residence of Balmoral in Scotland.
Mr Key said the visit would be an opportunity to establish close links with the new British coalition government and to build on existing ties.
"I look forward to seeing Mr Cameron for the first time since he was elected prime minister and to meeting other senior members of the Government, including Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg."
Mr Key said the unveiling of Sir Keith's statue would be a proud moment for New Zealand.
He will visit France for the first time as prime minister. He will meet President Nicolas Sarkozy and Prime Minister Francois Fillon in Paris for formal talks.
"New Zealand has a wide-ranging relationship with France which spans across a number of areas. I look forward to discussing with Mr Sarkozy our cooperation in the Pacific and in Europe."
While in France Mr Key will visit Longueval on the Somme, where he will lay wreaths at the New Zealand and French memorials to the fallen in World War 1.
In Paris, Mr Key will also hold discussions at the OECD before departing for New Zealand. He is scheduled to arrive back in New Zealand on September 19.
