The New Zealand Government condemns the violence and especially the loss of life in the incident in international waters off the coast of Gaza, Foreign Minister Murray McCully said today.

"I am taking immediate steps to communicate the Government's concerns over this incident to the Government of Israel," Mr McCully said.

Recently arrived New Zealand Ambassador HE David Taylor presented his credentials to President Yudhoyono on 10 May at a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta.  Ambassador Taylor looked forward to increasing cooperation between Indonesia and New Zealand.  "The two countries had never been better placed to expand economic links and government to government cooperation," he said.  Education cooperation and development assistance would also be high priorities for the Embassy.  

Read Op Ed article on economic and trade cooperation with Indonesia and the great potential for collaboration on geothermal energy, by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Regional Director for South and Southeast Asia, Alan Koziarski

www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/04/27/greater-rinew-zealand-cooperation.html