Welcome To New Zealand Madam Secretary
Photo Essay - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Arrives in Wellington
By Alastair Thompson
United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in New Zealand early this on her first visit to the country. She is in Wellington today to sign the "Wellington Declaration" which is expected to herald closer relations between the United States and New Zealand. The last US Secretary of State to visit was Condoleezza Rice in 2008.
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5.30am: The US Ambassador to NZ arrives at Wellington Airport's Military Terminal to meet his boss - media are assembled outside from 5am.
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5.45am: Media move inside the military terminal to prepare for the arrival
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6 am: The Secretary of State's plane arrives on time (from Port Moresby - Papua New Guinea)
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6.05 am: The Secretary of State's plane arrives at the Terminal
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6.15am: Hillary Clinton alights and is greeted by her Ambassador
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… then NZ Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully
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… then newly elected Mayor Celia Wade Brown (who cycled to the airport),
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…and finally by NZ Ambassador to the US Mike Moore.
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They briefly exchange pleasantries in the cold wind.
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…she is then escorted into the terminal.
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Before being very quickly whisked off in a motorcade to her Hotel.
(coverage of Hillary Clinton's visit continuing….)
ENDS