Off the wire
• Spotlight: Rousseff vulnerable to impeachment as her coalition crumbles  • Urgent: Ferry capsizes in river in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia  • China probes death of pregnant woman trapped by guardrail  • Atlanta asks NBA to move All-Star Game from Charlotte  • 2018 World Cup South American zone qualifying results (update)  • Myanmar's new president pledges to strive for peace, reconciliation  • Task force vows thorough investigation into vaccine scandal  • Russia's unemployment rate up 7 percent  • Cambodia's economy remains strong over next 2 years: ADB  • 2nd LD Writethru: U Htin Kyaw sworn in as Myanmar's new president  
You are here: 　 Home

Middle East high on agenda of New Zealand, Canadian defense minister talks

Xinhua, March 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

The defense ministers of New Zealand and Canada will meet in Wellington Thursday to discuss the battle against Islamic State (IS) insurgents and other international security issues.

New Zealand Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee said the meeting with Canadian counterpart Harjit Sajjan was a timely opportunity to discuss mutual defense and security on a bilateral basis.

On the agenda would be international efforts to counter the IS and deployments such as the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai.

"Canada is one of New Zealand's strongest international partners, and it is important that we stay closely in touch on key issues that impact us both," Brownlee said in a statement Wednesday.

Last week, a New Zealand government review found the joint New Zealand-Australian mission to train Iraqi troops in the fight against the IS has been a success over its first nine months, leading to a continuation of New Zealand's participation. Endit