1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,400 Speaker 1: Foreign Minister Winston Peters had his much anticipated meeting with 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: US Foreign Secretary Marco Rubio earlier today. Let's try and 3 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:08,960 Speaker 1: get a bit more insight into what was happening. Foreign 4 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:12,080 Speaker 1: Minister Winston Peters joins us. Now, Hello, Hello, how are 5 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: you very well? Thank you? Can you give us a 6 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:17,440 Speaker 1: sense from this meeting what the Americans' priorities are. 7 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 2: Look, we came over here to find out what they 8 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 2: wanted of us and to say what we wanted of them, 9 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 2: and we had a very very substantial, very meaningful meeting. 10 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: And what do they want from us? 11 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 2: Well, it's strange enough if they want us to go 12 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 2: on being what we've been for a long long time, 13 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:37,960 Speaker 2: may rival a force in the world, so to speak, 14 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:40,280 Speaker 2: for democracy, for the rule of law and things like that, 15 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 2: the kin to share our perspective of their neighborhood which 16 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 2: we live, the Blue Continent, and no other international issues. 17 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 1: Did they say that they wanted us to do more 18 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:52,640 Speaker 1: on the Pacific or that they were going to do 19 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:53,480 Speaker 1: more on the Pacific? 20 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 2: Well, it's more like saying, look, what can we do 21 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 2: together that's positive? And how can we do that? What 22 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,480 Speaker 2: will your engagement be as you work out as a 23 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 2: very new government, what your long term plan is that 24 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 2: we were prepared to wait to the dost settles to 25 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 2: find that out, because it's a very extraordinary time when 26 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 2: you first come into government, as the Trump government has 27 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 2: for the second time. And in terms of positioning ourselves, 28 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 2: I think we owe a lot to our embassy here, 29 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:28,559 Speaker 2: to Rosemary Banks and her team. They've done a marvels job. 30 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 2: But we had very, very many full discussions, which was 31 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:32,760 Speaker 2: our intent in the first place. 32 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 1: Did anything come up to do with Taiwan or military 33 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 1: engagement or the Chinese vessels off the coast of Australia 34 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 1: the other week. 35 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:42,959 Speaker 2: I've not in that context. It was a wider discussion 36 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 2: about what was happening around the world, how it was 37 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 2: a very different, changed set of circumstances. A lot is happening, 38 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 2: you know, in the Black Sea, the Red Sea, wherever 39 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 2: you name it. There are problems, but it's where we 40 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 2: can help in terms of solutions and in terms of 41 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 2: sees far as that they can't come soon enough. These 42 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:04,920 Speaker 2: sorts of discussions we had. 43 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 1: And what was your sense speaking to the excellent Rosemary Banks, 44 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: who's our ambassador there in Washington about the tariff situation. 45 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: Did you get a sense that there might be an 46 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: exemption for US on agriculture or is it pretty hard 47 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 1: line there? 48 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:21,080 Speaker 2: Well, we pointed out that for four decades we had 49 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 2: been in that situation of being tariff free for enter 50 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 2: into our country. Most substantially, we'll lead in that context, 51 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 2: and that when it comes to the United States that 52 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 2: had been or somewhat similar in that engagement, they're at about 53 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 2: two percent, were way below one percent. That there's a 54 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 2: lot more common about the situation between New Zealand and 55 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 2: the United States than people think. But there's a chance 56 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 2: to have those discussions in a very meaningful way. And 57 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 2: so we will know before too long, when the dust settles, 58 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 2: what it means. But I think we could go forward 59 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 2: with some significant confidence that these meetings were for a purpose, 60 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 2: not just filling out an agenda, but ensuring that we're 61 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:03,079 Speaker 2: part of their plans for the future. 62 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 1: So on the whole Trump's in office in Washington, DC, 63 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: You've had your sit down with Marco Rubio. Will New 64 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:15,080 Speaker 1: Zealand and the US be closer partners under a Trump administration? 65 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 1: And what does that look like? 66 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 2: Look down through the decades we've been close partners regardless 67 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 2: of who's in the administration in Washington. This is a 68 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:28,959 Speaker 2: chance to ensure that that aspiration goes forward to the future. 69 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 2: It's not a matter of taking sides or doing anything 70 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 2: untoward or anything that the New Zealand people would not 71 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 2: want us to do, but ensuring that we came here 72 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 2: with one purpose in mind, in particular, was to look 73 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 2: after the future of a country. Call New Zealand all. 74 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 1: Right, minister, appreciate your time this evening, Winston Peters, the 75 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 1: Foreign Affairs Minister in Washington, DC. 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