NEW ZEALAND SEEKING CLOSER ASIA-LATIN AMERICA LINKS

Wellington, June 12 (Xinhua)- New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will push for closer links between East Asia and Latin America at a meeting of senior officials from both region in Indonesia this week.

McCully would attend the Forum for East Asia and Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) Ministers' meeting in Bali on Thursday and Friday.

"New Zealand has significant ties with Asia and we are committed to developing closer relationships with Latin American countries through the government's Latin America Strategy," McCully said in a statement Wednesday”.

"Our engagement with both regions, and our geographical location, means New Zealand is well-placed to play a constructive role in these discussions”.

In Bali, McCully would also meet the foreign ministers of Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia and Nicaragua as well as representatives from many of the 36 FEALAC countries.

FEALAC was launched in 2001 to encourage closer links and cooperation between the two regions.

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