KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's relationship with the United States has reached a new level, says Foreign Minister Winston Peters, who met Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington yesterday.
Mr Peters flew to Washington to brief Ms Rice on his trip to North Korea, which ended at the weekend.
It was a rare visit by any foreign minister, and the first by a New Zealand foreign minister since North Korea was established as a country in 1945. New Zealand established diplomatic relations with North Korea in 2001.
Mr Peters met Ms Rice, Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley.
"Today's meetings were friendly and productive," Mr Peters said.
"Secretary Rice welcomed the message I conveyed to North Korea, that New Zealand was willing to assist with economic development if it follows through on its denuclearisation commitments under the Six Party Talks."
Mr Peters said they also talked about non-proliferation issues, developments in the South Pacific and the "positive progress" that was being made in strengthening bilateral relations.
"It is clear from today's meetings that our bilateral relationship has reached a new level as a result of recent efforts by both governments," he said. "There is a lot of potential to build on existing links, and strengthen co-operation in areas such as border security and the exchange of technology."
Mr Peters also discussed New Zealand's decisions on military and police deployments to Afghanistan.
Mr Peters spent two days in North Korea, meeting number two leader Kim Yong-Nam and the country's foreign, trade and agriculture ministers and has gone to Singapore for this week's East Asia Summit.
- NZPA
