Prime Minister Helen Clark said today it was an honour to have a portrait of Don McKinnon hanging in Marlborough House, headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat, in London.
The oil portrait is one of two of the Commonwealth secretary-general done by Auckland-based artist Richard McWhennell between April and
June 2006.
Both depict Mr McKinnon in his office in Marlborough House.
The second portrait will hang in a national institution in New Zealand.
Ms Clark said Mr McKinnon's eight years as secretary-general capped many years of public life.
"As a founding member of the Commonwealth, New Zealand takes particular pride in Don McKinnon having headed the organisation."
She appreciated the role Mr McKinnon had played in his current position where "he has paid particular attention to the concerns of small developing nations".
The paintings were funded by the New Zealand Government and prominent New Zealanders in Britain.
The country of each secretary-general is responsible for commissioning their portrait.
Mr McKinnon's portrait will hang in the main conference room of Marlborough House beside his predecessors; Arnold Smith of Canada (1965-1975), Sir Shridath Ramphal of Guyana (1975-1990) and Chief Emeka Anyaoku of Nigeria (1990-2000).
Mr McKinnon was made a member of the exclusive Order of New Zealand in the New Year Honours.
He was a member of Parliament from 1978 to 2000 and served as foreign minister from 1990 to 1999, as well as deputy prime minister and leader of the House.
He initiated a number of actions as foreign minister, including the campaign for a seat on the United Nations Security Council, the deployment of New Zealand peacekeepers to a number of countries, and the development of the Asia 2000 programme.
Mr McKinnon was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in initiating and overseeing the ceasefire between the people of Bougainville and the Papua New Guinea government in 1997.
Ms Clark unveiled Mr McKinnon's portrait at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London overnight (NZ time).
- NZPA
