Peters to visit five countries over two weeks

Winston Peters

Foreign Minister Winston Peters leaves on April 15 on a two-week trip that will take him to Vienna, Moscow, St Petersburg, Kiev, London and Dublin.

He said yesterday he was visiting Europe for six-monthly ministerial consultations with the European Union Presidency, currently held by Austria.

He will meet Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik in Vienna, then travel to Moscow for a meeting with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Mr Peters will meet Ukraine's President Viktor Yuschenko in Kiev, then fly to London to represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations and meet New Zealand's heads of mission based in Europe.

In Dublin he will meet Irish ministers responsible for foreign affairs and racing.

- NZPA