New Zealand political leaders welcome Obama´s inauguration

Source: Xinhua | 01-21-2009 09:49

WELLINGTON, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand political leaders have welcomed Barack Obama's inauguration as United States president, New Zealand Press Association reported on Wednesday.

Obama was sworn in as the 44th U.S. president about 6:00 am (New Zealand Time) in Washington on Wednesday.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key Tuesday wrote to President Obama congratulating him.

In his letter, Key said Obama's leadership would be "crucial" in addressing the challenges the world faced.

He also highlighted New Zealand's friendship with the United States and his desire to push on with planned negotiations that would see the U.S. enter a multilateral free trade agreement that currently includes New Zealand, Singapore, Chile and Brunei.

"Our common democratic values and traditions, and long history of cooperating closely to promote international security and prosperity, point to our shared interests across a wide range of issues," he said.

President Obama could count on New Zealand to be a good friend and partner, Key wrote.

The New Zealand Labor Party leader Phil Goff also offered his congratulations. He joined about 100 others at a party on Wednesday morning at the United States Embassy in Wellington celebrating the inauguration, and said President Obama had generated hope of new approaches and fresh ideas.

He said the world economic crisis had been sparked by problems in the U.S..

"The world will be looking to initiatives in the U.S. as the world's most powerful economy to remedy the causes of financial failure and to generate international recovery," he said.

He said New Zealand would also look to the United States for a fresh approach to resolving international problems such as global warming, the arms race and problems in the Middle East.

Goff said Labor welcomed President Obama's moves to reduce carbon emissions and make sustainability a key component of economic recovery.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei