VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) arrived in New Zealand on Sunday for a state visit from Australia where he had earlier attended an ASEAN-Australia Special Summit. Deputy for protocol, press and media Bey Machmudin said in a statement President Jokowi and entourage departed from Australia`s Kingsford-Smith International Airport in Sydney at 17.37 hours local time or 13.37 hours West Indonesia Time.

New Zealand`s finance and also sports minister Grant Robertson, Indonesian Ambassador to New Zealand Tantowi Yahya and New Zealand`s Ambassador to Indonesia Trevor Mathedon welcomed their arrival.

President Jokowi and First Lady Iriana immediately proceeded to the hotel in Wellington where they would stay during the visit where hundreds of Indonesian citizens had been there to welcome them. The visit is a state visit to mark the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the two countries` diolomatic relations.

President Jokowi would meet with New Zealand`s prime minister and governor general as well as a number of CEOs in a budiness forum during the visit. On board the flght President Jokowi was accompanied by First Lady Iriana, coordinating minister for security, political and legal affairs Wiranto, minister/state secretary Pratikno, foreign minister Retno Marsudi and head of Capital Investment Coordinating Board Thomas Lembong. ( antara )