For more images, please click here.
Envoys for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Indonesia will present their credentials to the Governor-General, Rt Hon Sir Anand Satyanand, at Government House Vogel in Lower Hutt tomorrow (Thursday, 30 September 2010).
The ceremony will begin at 1100. The Royal New Zealand Air Force will provide the Maori Ceremonial Challenge and the Guard of Honour at tomorrow’s ceremony.
Mr Arie van der Wiel, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is a career diplomat who has served for the past 12 years as Dutch Ambassador to three African countries – Mozambique, Ghana and Nigeria. Ambassador van der Wiel will be resident in Wellington.
The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Xu Jianguo, served most recently as Ambassador of China to Nigeria, and before that held senior positions in China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was China’s Ambassador to Georgia. Ambassador Xu has a background in senior government administration in Zhejiang Province, on the eastern seaboard of China. Ambassador Xu will be resident in Wellington.
The Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia, Mr Antonius Agus Sriyono, comes to New Zealand directly from his previous posting as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indonesian Embassy in Moscow. He has had previous postings to Lisbon, New York and the Hague, and held a number of senior appointments in the Indonesian Foreign Ministry. Ambassador Sriyono will be resident in Wellington.
Also attending a welcome ceremony will be the British High Commissioner, Mrs Vicki Treadell CMG, MVO. As New Zealand and the United Kingdom share the same head of state, Mrs Treadell was officially accredited on presenting a letter from the British Prime Minister to the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Rt Hon John Key, on 2 June this year.
For further information please contact:
Chris Wilson – Communications Adviser
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
(04) 439 8138 or (021) 375 105
Media wishing to attend the ceremony must contact:
Rebekah Clement, Public Affairs Adviser
Government House
(04) 382 0844 or (021) 243 7958