ssm@cmu-ri-leg.ARPA (Sesh Murthy) (03/28/85)
Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to scale
Mount Everest, presented his credentials Wednesday as New Zealand's
new ambassador.
Hillary's assignment was announced in October, when Prime Minister
David Lange visited India to hold talks with the late Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi on resuming full diplomatic relations.
New Zealand's high commission, or embassy, in India was closed in
1982 and its staff withdrawn by former Prime Minister Robert Muldoon
in what was described as a cost-cutting measure. It was reported at
the time that the main reason was personal friction between Muldoon
and Mrs. Gandhi.
Since his 1953 ascent of Everest, which is on the border between
Tibet and Nepal, Hillary has maintained close ties with India and
Nepal. He also is accredited to Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.
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