Foreign and European Affairs Ministry State Secretary Peter Burian met with New Zealand Ambassador to Slovakia (based in Vienna) Deborah Geels on Thursday to discuss extending and intensifying the cooperation between Slovakia and New Zealand, according to a press release. They two exchanged views and information on opportunities for deepening mutual economic cooperation, boosting trade exchange and searching for new areas of economic growth – for example, in the sphere of information technologies and innovations or science and research.
They agreed on a positive influence for approximation of the countries by the 2012 Treaty between New Zealand and Slovakia on a mutual work holiday program that enables Slovak citizens to stay in New Zealand for 12 months to work and study during holidays there. Burian also appreciated positive trends in the partnership of New Zealand and the European Union, which is confirmed by Partnership Agreement on Relations and Cooperation (PARC) from the last week. A Free Trade Agreement (FTA), about which New Zealand is interested in launching the talks with EU, could be of another benefit for further development of the relations – especially in the economic area.
