Groser announces New Zealand's new TPP Lead Negotiator
Tuesday 20 December 2011, 2:31AM
By Tim Groser
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Trade Minister Tim Groser is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr David Walker as New Zealand’s new Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) Lead Negotiator.
Dr Walker is currently Deputy Secretary with responsibility for Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. He has an extensive trade background. He negotiated the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (better known as P4), the precursor to the current TPP negotiation, as well as the landmark New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement. Before taking up his assignment as Deputy Secretary he was New Zealand's Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organisation in Geneva, where he also served as chair of the Doha agriculture negotiation.
Dr Walker replaces Mark Sinclair, who will continue to take a close interest in trade issues after he takes up his new position as New Zealand’s Ambassador to Japan. In the wake of the 11 November announcement by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda that Japan will begin consultations with TPP countries to join the negotiation, TPP-related issues are set to feature in the New Zealand-Japan relationship for the period ahead.