British PM keen to extend Games trip to NZ

British Prime Minister Tony Blair hopes to visit New Zealand as part of a trip to the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in March, Prime Minister Helen Clark says.

"Tony Blair very much wants to come to New Zealand and there are plans being made. There isn't a formal date to announce but he would like to come around the time he plans to go to Australia for the Commonwealth Games."

Helen Clark said yesterday that she had raised the possibility of a visit with Mr Blair when he phoned to congratulate her after the election and after the formation of the government.

She cautioned that plans were not set in concrete, given Mr Blair's position.

Matters could crop up that would prevent him from travelling to this part of the world.

Helen Clark spent an hour with the British leader at Downing Street last month. And she will catch up with him again at the Progressive Government Summit in Pretoria, South Africa, in a week's time.

* Harold Macmillan paid an official visit to New Zealand in 1958 during his time as British Prime Minister. John Major visited in 1995 when he attended the Commonwealth Summit.

- NZPA