Institute notes: National Office and branch activities.

The National Office hosted a seminar on 22 April to mark the sixtieth anniversary of diplomatic relations with Russia. Keynote presentations were given by the APEC Senior Official from Moscow, Ambassador Vasily Dobrovolsky, and Professor Rouben Azizian from the Asia-Pacific Center for Strategic Studies in Hawaii. The same day a book on New Zealand-Soviet relations from 1950 to 1991, by Dr Tony Wilson, was launched at a function addressed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Phil Goff. (A review of this book can be found elsewhere in this issue.)

On 24 May members of the Standing Committee participated in the first ever joint meeting in Wellington between the NZIIA and the President and several members of the Chinese People's Republic Institute of Foreign Affairs.The seminar was hosted by the Embassy of China.

Arrangements are in hand for the Annual Foreign Policy Lecture to be given in early July by Sir Shrideth Ramphal, former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

The Director visited Hong Kong as a guest of the Hong Kong authorities from 21 to 27 March, and attended the second ABAC (APEC Business Council) meeting for 2004, held in Taipei from 11 to 15 May. He spoke to the Auckland branch on 18 May and addressed the National Centre for Research on Europe in Christchurch on 28 May.

The National Council was held on 24 June. A report on it will appear in the next issue.

Wellington

At the branch AGM on 13 May the following officers were elected:

President--Denis McLean CMG

Vice President--David Major

Events Secretary--Kelvin Ratnam

Membership Secretary--Craig Greaves

Minutes Secretary--Peter Nichols

Treasurer--Rini Gardenier

Committee--David Atkins, Clair

Balfour, Sono Barnes, Keith Gelling,

Gerald McGhie, Michael Powles,

Melissa Quarrie, Peter Thorp

After the AGM, Dr Rod Alley spoke on 'Twenty Questions for New Zealand Foreign Policy'.

The following meetings were also held: 28 Apr Hon Senator Peter Cook (Chairman of the Australian Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence...