WELLINGTON, March 4 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will push the country's bid for a United Nations Security Council seat in 2015-2016 when he attends the League of Arab States Executive Council meeting in Egypt.
"I am looking forward to discussing New Zealand's bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council with my counterparts in the region," McCully said in a statement before departing Monday.
"The Arab League has been at the forefront of some of the most pressing international issues over the past two years, including Libya and Syria," said McCully.
"Its leadership will be critical for dealing with the range of challenges that have resulted from the Arab Spring. This visit provides an opportunity for New Zealand to strengthen its relationship with a vitally important regional organisation."
McCully would also visit Middle East countries, including Bahrain, Turkey and Jordan, for official talks that would cover ongoing regional security issues, and New Zealand's humanitarian assistance for Syrian refugees in Turkey and Jordan.
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