Afghanistan, UN Security Council seat on New Zealand FM's U.S. agenda

Wellington, May 15 (Xinhua-ANI): Two New Zealand ministers will travel to the United States Wednesday to discuss the security situation in Afghanistan with U.S. and NATO leaders.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will lead a New Zealand delegation, including Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman, to the 25th NATO Summit in Chicago.

The summit, to be hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama, will bring together NATO members and contributors to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan.

McCully will also travel to Washington to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"The Wellington Declaration, signed in November 2010, proposed regular meetings at Foreign Minister-Secretary of State level to ensure we maintain momentum in the relationship," McCully said in a statement.

The Wellington Declaration, signed by Clinton and McCully, outlines fields of cooperation between the two nations, including climate change, renewable energy, trade, security and economic development.

Alongside representatives from Pacific Island states, McCully will attend a number of Pacific Day events in Washington and deliver a keynote address at the Pacific Day seminar.

McCully would then travel to New York to meet with UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon to discuss a range of international issues, including New Zealand's campaign for a seat in the UN Security Council in 2015-2016.(Xinhua-ANI)