NZ to give $1m to Red Cross in Japan

Cabinet agreed today to give $1m to support the Red Cross effort in Japan, Prime Minister John Key announced this afternoon.

At his post-Cabinet press conference today, Mr Key also said four New Zealanders remain in Libya and want to stay there, while 35 others have left the conflict-torn North African country in recent weeks.

He said New Zealand would be fully implementing the United Nations sanctions against Libya, including a travel ban on all members of the Muammar Gaddafi regime or his supporters, as well as a freeze on any of the regime's assets in New Zealand.

New Zealand had minimal links to Libya, including some dairy exports and education links that were now under review, but which are outside the scope of the UN sanctions.

Mr Key said to the best of his knowledge, the regime in Libya did not have any assets in New Zealand.

He said New Zealand had not been asked to make a military contribution to the campaign in Libya, and "we wouldn't expect to be asked".