Source: New Zealand Government
[Comments following the bilateral meeting with United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio; United States State Department, Washington D.C.]
* We’re very pleased with our meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio this afternoon. * We came here to listen to the new Administration and to be clear about what is important to New Zealand. Today, we enjoyed substantive and productive discussions with Secretary Rubio across a broad range of issues. * There’s a lot happening in the Indo-Pacific, and indeed our world. It’s a seriously valuable time to be here in Washington DC. * Secretary Rubio has had a long career in foreign policy and it was helpful to re-connect with him and hear his insights into what is going on.* This has been a very successful visit to Washington DC, meeting with a wide range of representatives of the Trump Administration.* We agreed that we should continue to work together for a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific. And we talked about all the areas where New Zealand and the United States have interests in common. These include the prosperity and stability of the Pacific Islands, space and technology, as well as Antarctica where our cooperation has been deep and longstanding. * This visit has provided the starting point for considering what constructive cooperation between New Zealand and the United States might look like in the months and years ahead. * This is just the first step. We will now go back to New Zealand to discuss with Cabinet colleagues what we have learned here in Washington DC.* With Secretary Rubio, we have agreed to remain in close contact in the months ahead. We will no doubt see each other again later this year, whether at a regional meeting or back here in DC.
