Brussels, 17/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - Ahead of the arrival of EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht in New Zealand on the third leg of his tour of Australasia, New Zealand's Trade Minister Tim Groser said on Thursday 17 March that it was in New Zealand's interest to boost its trade ties with the EU, its second largest trading partner (after Australia). “We enjoy longstanding cooperation in many areas of common trade interest. New Zealand remains committed to the further strengthening of ties with our EU partners”, explained Groser in newspaper reports on 17 March. The boosting of trade and the Doha multilateral trade talks will dominate the meetings on Saturday in Auckland between De Gucht and representatives of the New Zealand government and business. On Friday 18 March, the trade commissioner represented the EU in Christchurch at the remembrance ceremony following the recent earthquake that devastated the country's third largest city. (E.H./transl.fl)