Prime Minister John Key leaves on Wednesday to visit Turkey and the Gulf states.Mr Key, who has just returned from the United States and Canada, will attend the 95th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign while he is in Turkey.He said it was "a hugely
Prime Minister John Key leaves on Wednesday to visit Turkey and the Gulf states.
Mr Key, who has just returned from the United States and Canada, will attend the 95th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign while he is in Turkey.
He said it was "a hugely significant event" and Veterans Affairs Minister Judith Collins would attend as well.
"The Gallipoli battle saw New Zealand suffer the highest percentage of casualties of any military campaign in the country's history," he said at his post-cabinet press conference yesterday.
"Of the 8500 New Zealanders who served there nearly 5000 were wounded and 2700 lost their lives."
Mr Key said he would attend the Anzac dawn services, the New Zealand national service and the Australian national service.
The prime minister will have meetings in Ankara and will speak at a business breakfast in Istanbul.
From there he will travel to Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Trade will be the focus of his meetings and Trade Minister Tim Groser will take part.
Mr Key said bilateral trade between New Zealand and the Gulf Cooperation Council totalled more than $3 billion last year, making the GCC New Zealand's sixth largest partner.
Mr Groser said he would be leading the largest ever New Zealand business delegation to visit the Middle East.
The delegation will include 90 business leaders representing about 60 companies.
They will visit Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
"The Gulf region is affluent, modernising, and undergoing significant transformation," Mr Groser said.
"While much of New Zealand's trade focus has been on the Asia-Pacific area of late, we simply cannot afford to ignore the potential of this region."
