Cullen to IMF/World Bank, London and Japan

Finance Minister Michael Cullen leaves New Zealand tomorrow for the IMF/World Bank Finance Ministers meeting in Dubai followed by investment promotion visits to London, Tokyo and Osaka.

In Dubai, he will sign a double taxation agreement and an Arrangement on Trade and Economic Cooperation with the United Arab Emirates and is seeking bilaterals with Australia, Japan, Thailand, Canada, Germany, Poland, Austria and Spain.

He will also meet with the President of Citigroup International, Stanley Fischer, senior management from Nomura Securities, Barclays Capital Vice Chairman Euan Harkness and the President of the World Bank Group, James Wolfensohn.

In London, Dr Cullen will meet Economic Secretary John Healey, address the Australia and New Zealand Chamber of Commerce, call on the Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, Rachel Lomax, speak to investors’ meetings hosted by Macquarie Bank and Deutsche Bank and meet Standard and Poors.

He will also meet with the United Kingdom Charity Commission to see what the UK experience has to offer in the design of the New Zealand Charities Commission.

In Tokyo, he will address a business breakfast on economic relations between New Zealand and Japan, call on the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Japan, Kazuma Iwata, and receive a briefing from Morgan Stanley.

In Osaka, he will meet the Vice Governor of Osaka Prefecture, Norihiko Kajimoto, and Mayor Takafumi Isomura, co-host a lunch for the Kansai Economic Federation and visit Daikin Industries.

Dr Cullen will be accompanied by his wife, Anne Collins, the Secretary to the Treasury John Whitehead and by his press secretary, Patricia Herbert.

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