Prime Minister John Key has cancelled his scheduled visit to Europe in the wake of Saturday's devastating earthquake in Canterbury.The announcement he had cancelled his trip came as foreign affairs officials briefed media due to travel with Mr Key.Media w
Prime Minister John Key has cancelled his scheduled visit to Europe in the wake of Saturday's devastating earthquake in Canterbury.
The announcement he had cancelled his trip came as foreign affairs officials briefed media due to travel with Mr Key.
Media were being told of the importance of the trip when a spokeswoman for Mr Key arrived and told them the trip had been cancelled because of the earthquake.
He was to leave on Friday.
At his weekly post-Cabinet press conference late yesterday afternoon Mr Key had said the trip would go on despite the quake.
He said he would only leave if he could be confident Christchurch's recovery was on track.
Mr Key was due to travel to London to meet British Prime Minister David Cameron and to Paris where he would meet President Nicolas Sarkozy and Prime Minister Francois Fillon.
He, and wife Bronagh, were also to spend the weekend with the Queen at Balmoral in Scotland.
Mr Key would also have attended the unveiling of a memorial for New Zealand World War 2 hero Sir Keith Park, visited Longueval on the Somme and held discussions at the OECD.
