New Zealand to open embassy in capital

Embassy in Abu Dhabi part of plans to make Gulf one of main factors in country's economic growth.

New Zealand plans to open an embassy in Abu Dhabi as part of plans to make the Gulf one of the main factors in the country's future economic growth, the country's foreign minister announced. After meeting with his counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, in the capital this week Murray McCully said the embassy, due to open in January, would help develop the country's diplomatic presence in the Middle East. The embassy will join Riyadh's as New Zealand's second in the Gulf. The UAE is the country's second-largest market among Gulf countries. *National staff