Rt Hon Winston Peters
Minister of Foreign Affairs

25 November 2005
Media Release

Peters refutes allegations of leading a debate on immigration in Malta

Allegations made in the media to the effect that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rt Hon Winston Peters is in some way involved with leading a debate on immigration whilst attending CHOGM this week in Malta, are “totally inaccurate and the direct result of a reporter interviewing his Malta newspaper in his hotel room,” suggested Mr Peters today.

The ‘Times of Malta’, on Wednesday 23 November, carried a story on page 5, in which the Prime Minister of Malta, Lawrence Gonzi, was reported as appealing to the Commonwealth Business Forum to think of long term strategies to help countries like his own, facing mass migration difficulties. The Commonwealth Business Forum event ran concurrently with this week’s Commonwealth Foreign Ministers meeting.

“Quite how that report led to an allegation that I would be leading a debate at CHOGM escapes me completely and serves to confirm my belief that some media representatives are capable of clutching at any straw, no matter how meaningless, to file a story.

"I am looking forward to returning to New Zealand in a week’s time in order to assist the understanding of the media and members of the National opposition, of my role and responsibilities as Minister of Foreign Affairs,” concluded Mr Peters.

ENDS

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