Brussels, 19/04/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Union hopes to develop political and economic development in the region of the South Pacific, in order to help to contribute to greater stability, better economic development and more responsible governance in the region. This was the declaration made by the Austrian Foreign Affairs Minister and President-in-office of the Council of the EU, Ursula Plassnik, further to a meeting of the ministerial troika of the EU with the New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister, Winston Peters, in Vienna on 18 April. Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner also took part in this meeting. Ms Plassnik announced that the EU would, for the first time, send an observation mission to elections in the region, to also the forthcoming elections of the Iles of Fiji. Discussions with Mr Peters focused on EU/New Zealand bilateral relations, and on regional development in the Asia-Pacific area and, more particularly, in the South Pacific. "New Zealand is a central actor in the South Pacific and is involved in strengthening regional integration in the Asia-Pacific region", said Ms Plassnik in a press release. "In spite of the geographic distance, New Zealand is a neighbour to the European Union through our shared values system and closely connected to us on many central points. We share engagement and commitment to effective multilateralism, to the role of the United Nations, to protection of human rights and to a sustainable environmental policy", she continued.