New Zealand will hand over the responsibility of carrying out polls on the Secretary General job to Russia in September to ensure there is no perception of a conflict of interest.

COMMENT: On one hand our two governments are building a free trade zone to continually deepen our cooperation on trade and investment. On the other, we are creating a new history of exchanges on culture and language, writes Wang Lutong.

The Turkish leader has two goals: to ensure the destruction of Assad's regime, and to prevent the creation of a new Kurdish state in Syria, writes Gwynne Dyer.

COMMENT: Russia's President has been taught a lesson with the shooting of a warplane over Turkish air space.

The downing of a Russian SU24 fighter jet by Turkish authorities was inevitable. Russia has flouted the territorial border of Turkey time and again in the past few months so it is no surprise that this has happened.

John Key has hinted that Trade Minister Tim Groser could take over as New Zealand's ambassador to the United States.

Turkey has now bombed a few IS targets to show willing - but if you look at the videos, the Turkish planes are launching missiles at single buildings out in open fields, writes Gwynne Dyer.

Unless we allow borders to reform naturally this Sunni time bomb will blow unpredictably benefitting ISIS, writes Ron Mark.

To mark Bastille Day and 70 years of diplomatic relations between France and New Zealand, the French ambassador Florence Jeanblanc-Risler looks at the relationship between the two countries.

This week marks the 30th anniversary of the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior off Marsden Wharf. We take a look back.

We see ISIS as thuggish martyrdom-seeking zealots, but brutal and disgusting though they be, its actions as a fighting force belie any belief they are oafish bandits, writes Ron Mark.

In a speech before a business group, Jeb Bush, expected to announce a run for the US presidency, praised his father George H.W. Bush but failed to mention his brother.

The world's largest nuclear meeting, the five-yearly Review Conference of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), has just closed at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

This month North Korea claimed to have launched a ballistic missile from a submerged submarine.

Previous experience has been positive and benefits would outweigh the costs.

The dirty secret in global diplomacy is that much can and is accomplished through such simple but secret transactions, Fran O'Sullivan writes.

In November Prime Minister Key referred to ISIL as a ‘game changer’ for New Zealand. I wasn’t convinced, especially as the government was focusing on the domestic aspect in seeking to justify increased surveillance powers.

The toothfish pirates refused NZ permission to board, which we meekly obeyed, then, with fuel running out, we retired while the plundering continued, writes Brian Rudman.

Former National MP Michael Cox says Anzus conflict in 1984 will hurt chances of Helen Clark becoming United Nations secretary general.

Nick Sheppard writes: "Due to factors including nationality, gender and timing, Helen Clark may be the front runner" for the top United Nations post.

Whoa, this can't be right. Guys, guys, guys - this isn't the end. It feels like the lights have just come on in the theatre just when I was settling down to my popcorn...

New Zealand has signed a free trade agreement with Korea - delivering good news for kiwifruit growers but with a big compromise over milk powder.

John Key and Froncois Hollande joked that during the G20 both countries had beaten host country Australia in rugby league for New Zealand and rugby for the French Les Bleus team.

Fur might be a bit outré in fashion but it is becoming the latest accessory in diplomatic circles as countries try to resolve the world's problems one fluffy animal at a time.

John Key says New Zealand will put a small amount into the Green Climate Fund and expects to set a 2020 target for carbon emission reductions early next year.

Prime Minister John Key's arrival in Brisbane was a lot less low key than for the main players of the G20.

New Zealand is a ‘guest’ at the G20 - a summit of the leaders from the 20th richest, most powerful countries in the world. Key has described it as a chance in a life time.

A baby kiwi got more of a smile out of the German Chancellor than the charm of John Key yesterday, but Angela Merkel left the Prime Minister with far more than a handful of feathers.

It's a rare moment when you have all seven living Australian Prime Ministers together for an awkward family photo.