Prime Minister John Key says he regrets people were let down over his decision to return to New Zealand to attend funerals at the expense of trade meetings in the Middle East, but stands by his decision.Mr Key last week pulled out of the 90-strong delegat
Prime Minister John Key says he regrets people were let down over his decision to return to New Zealand to attend funerals at the expense of trade meetings in the Middle East, but stands by his decision.
Mr Key last week pulled out of the 90-strong delegation to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates to attend the funerals of the three victims of the Anzac Day helicopter crash -- a decision which has attracted some criticism but also plenty of support.
He had previously attended Anzac Day services in Turkey and was due to head to Afghanistan following the trade talks, but ended up skipping the talks and going back to Afghanistan after the funerals.
Some delegates have since either criticised the decision, saying it was moralistic and pandered to public opinion, or that it was a difficult call but had the effect of lessening the impact of talks and resulted in some cancelled meetings.
Mr Key explained his position to reporters today. "I realised when I made the decision at Gallipoli to return that I would disappoint a group of New Zealanders and obviously I regret letting people down, as I did with that trade mission," he said.
"But in the benefit of hindsight I wouldn't change the decision I made."
Trade Minister Tim Groser took over leadership of the delegation, but headed to China today and was unavailable to respond to claims about the trip's effectiveness.
