French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe met Foreign Minister Murray McCully in Auckland yesterday - the first visit by a foreign minister of France in 28 years.
The last visit was in 1983 - two years before the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior.
Mr Juppe said he hoped there would be a smaller gap until his next visit. Asked if the Rainbow Warrior bombing had tarnished relations, he said it was "a long time ago. Let's see to the future, not the past, putting this situation behind us."
In a joint statement, the two foreign ministers agreed to further co-operation on a range of matters - including a partnership between Christchurch and Bordeaux, which they said were already linked by being wine-growing areas. It proposed they would work together in areas including urban renewal and reconstruction following the Christchurch earthquake.
They also agreed to develop a range of centennial commemorations for World War I, and in a joint statement, the two ministers said the bonds forged between the two countries remained alive now.
Mr Juppe's trip coincided with the Pacific Islands Forum - and a visit by French Polynesia President Oscar Temaru to seek support for French Polynesia's bid for decolonisation. The forum leaders had instead urged France and French Polynesia to reach agreement between themselves on the matter.
Mr Juppe acknowledged the forum's findings, saying, "We have to respect the will of the population of course." New Caledonia is due to hold a referendum on independence between 2014 and 2018.
- Claire Trevett
