McCully names new Ambassador to Germany

New Zealand's next Ambassador to Germany will be career diplomat Peter Rider, Foreign Minister Murray McCully said today.

Mr Rider will also have responsibility for New Zealand's relations with Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, the Slovak Republic, and Switzerland.

"New Zealand has a significant relationship with Germany, which we are keen to expand further as we explore a comprehensive new partnership arrangement with the European Union," said Mr McCully, who met the new German Foreign Minister, Guido Westerwelle, in Berlin today.

"Germany is the largest member of the EU; it is our most significant trading partner within the EU, and we share extensive political, trade, scientific, cultural and tourism links.

"New Zealand also works closely with Germany, as well as with Switzerland and Austria, in the United Nations, and on many global issues such as human rights, disarmament, security and climate change."

Mr Rider was most recently Director of the United Nations, Human Rights, and Commonwealth Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has previous served as Ambassador to Thailand, and been posted in the Middle East, and to New Zealand's Mission at the United Nations in New York.

He takes up his assignment in April, replacing Alan Cook.