Working holiday scheme with Vietnam proposed

Talks will begin soon on a working holiday scheme for young Vietnamese and New Zealanders to travel and work in each other's countries, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said today.

"Already upward of 1000 New Zealand tourists visit Vietnam each month. I hope that in the future we will see the tourist flow increase in the other direction too," he said in a speech at the Vietnam National University in Hanoi.

His speech marked the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and coincided with Vietnam assuming the chair of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the East Asia Summit.

He said the new free trade agreement between Asean, Australia, and New Zealand (or AANZFTA) offered benefits to all parties in terms of liberalisation of trade in goods, services and investment.

"Under AANZFTA, tariffs will be gradually reduced, boosting trade and business. There are provisions designed to improve trade in services, investment and movement of people between treaty partners."

The agreement would also open doors to chefs and engineering professionals looking to work in New Zealand for up to three years.

After meeting Vietnamese officials in Hanoi, Mr McCully flies to England to attend a high-level conference on Afghanistan.

Foreign ministers from nations contributing to the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, representatives of neighbouring countries, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and Afghanistan's President Karzai will attend the event.

- NZPA