Remarks by HR/VP Mogherini at the press point with Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of New Zealand
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Thank you for this excellent meeting. I did not expect anything less, because we have excellent relations. I have to admit and to confess that this is my first visit to New Zealand. I learnt that this is the first ever visit of a High Representative of the European Union to New Zealand. Nonetheless, in the last six months three of my colleagues from the European Commission visited New Zealand which is, I think, a testimony to the fact that we are increasing our cooperation in a number of fields.
First of all, we are natural partners in the approach to international issues from the support to the United Nations system, to our vision of democracy, human rights and rule of law, and free and fair trade. I am very happy to have launched formal negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and New Zealand. We had a first round of talks a few weeks ago, which went very well. So we are positively working towards achieving that agreement, hopefully soon.
And that is also a signal to the rest of the world to show that there are countries around the world, even if far away geographically, which are upholding the free trade agenda worldwide. We also see eye to eye when it comes to the main international issues, be it crises and conflicts, be it issues of common interests like sustainable development and climate change.
We decided today to increase our cooperation in a number of areas, namely security cooperation, but also our work in the Pacific. We welcome the approach that New Zealand has developed on the Pacific and we are ready to cooperate very closely with New Zealand in this area, which is very far away geographically for us, but very strategically important for the security and the stability of the world.
Q: What form of cooperation do you envisage in the Pacific?
Both of us have very important development programmes in this in the region. The European Union is globally the first player when it comes to development cooperation programmes, aid and assistance, but also humanitarian aid and climate change. We can work much more together when it comes to oceans. We have very similar policies in all these fields. We have already a good energy cooperation in the Pacific. We will have our teams sitting together to see in which specific policy areas and in which specific development projects we can cooperate together. Put together, our development cooperation budgets are definitely and by far the biggest ones for this area.
Q: How much of a priority is New Zealand when it comes to a trade deal with the EU?
It is a very high priority. You know that we have increased our negotiations for Free Trade Agreements with several partners in the world. We have just concluded a few weeks ago Free Trade Agreement with Japan. We concluded a Free Trade Agreement with Canada recently. We are negotiating now, finally - and we are happy about that - with New Zealand and also with Australia. So it is top priority for us that would be beneficial for our respective economies. And, as I said, this would be beneficial also for the overall trade environment in the world.
Q: Trade with Iran is a priority for New Zealand. Can you update us on the EU measures to protect investors from the fear of retribution?
Yes, we discussed this as well. I believe New Zealand and the European Union share the same approach when it comes to the need to preserve and maintain the nuclear deal with Iran [JCPOA], notwithstanding their withdrawal of the United States. We are working within the European Union and with other partners in the world, among them New Zealand, but also Asian partners, to protect investments and to keep channels open, especially when it comes to the trade of oil and petrochemicals, but also when it comes to banking channels and financial channels. So, we discussed quite in detail about that and we agreed that experts from New Zealand will exchange with experts of the European Union, especially on the financial aspects of how to maintain these channels open.
Q: And what's the current state, you have got the Blocking Statute, you have talked about financial arrangements, are they effective?
We in the European Union updated our Blocking Statute. This is a legislation that the European Union has in place to protect European businesses from the effects of secondary sanctions - of sanctions that the US imposes outside of its territory. We believe that it is and has to be up to the Europeans in this case to decide with whom to trade. So there is also a matter of - I would say - trade sovereignty to be protected. This Blocking Statute has now been updated.
So this legislation in Europe protects European businesses from the effects of the US sanctions, indicating to companies that they should comply with European legislation rather than with the American one. Apart from that, we are encouraging Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in particular to increase business with and in Iran as part of something that for us is a security priority. I want to make this very clear: we are talking about trade and economic relations with Iran, because this is integral part of the nuclear deal. The trade that the European Union has with Iran compared with the trade we have worldwide is very little, but it is a fundamental aspect of the Iranian right to have an economic advantage in exchange of what they have done so far, which is being compliant with all their nuclear related commitments. So the deal has two parts: Iran gives up their nuclear program and the international community opens up trade and economic relations with Iran. This second pillar has to be maintained if we want the first pillar to be maintained.
And, so far, Iran has been compliant fully with their nuclear commitments. The IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] has verified several times - in 11 reports - that Iran is compliant. A new report will come up soon. We are doing our best to keep Iran in the deal, to keep Iran benefiting from the economic benefits that the agreement brings to the people of Iran, because we believe that this is in the security interest of not only our region, but also of the world. If there is an international agreement on nuclear nonproliferation that is delivering, it has to be maintained.
Q: You also mentioned North Korea [Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK]. What shared action can the EU and New Zealand take when it comes to the North Korean regime?
New Zealand and the European Union share, I believe, the same sense of urgency, when it comes to accompany, support and sustain the diplomatic efforts aimed at full denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and also the reconciliation between the South and the North. I believe we share the need for a peaceful resolution of the situation. New Zealand has a very solid and consolidated position when it comes to nuclear related issues and we have discussed ways in which we can accompany this process that for the moment is considered in two parts: US/DPRK talks on denuclearisation that will need to be supported with a multilateral framework and also the inter-Korean dialogue on reconciliation. Also here, I believe New Zealand and the European Union together can accompany the two Koreas in this path that is extremely courageous and extremely important for all of us. Thank you.
Link to the video: https://ec.europa.eu/avservices/video/player.cfm?ref=I159309