John Key

By Maggie Tait of NZPA

New York, Sept 24 NZPA - Prime Minister John Key today adds United States President Barack Obama to the list of world leaders he has met during his trip to New York.

Mr Key yesterday met United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, former NZ Prime Minister Helen Clark who heads the UNDP, former US President Bill Clinton and other foreign leaders.

Today's opportunity will not be a formal meeting but a quick handshake and chat at the US Presidential reception being held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Time will be limited as leaders from all over the world seek to make contact with the new American president.

Mr Key intends to use the opportunity to reaffirm the positive and improving relationship between the US and New Zealand and touch on trade and Afghanistan if there is time.

The meeting comes on top of the high-level dignitaries Mr Key talked to today.

After talks with Mr Ban Mr Key said the US has indicated it would be prepared to financially back a New Zealand initiative to ramp up research into agricultural emissions.

Mr Key used the 15-minute meeting with the UN head to push New Zealand's proposal for a global alliance focusing on finding ways to reduce agricultural emissions and said the US and India were interested in the scheme.

The initiative would see a world-wide virtual network set up for climate change research into agriculture and food production.

"We've already had initial indications from India and the United States that they will be prepared to join us," Mr Key told reporters.

"At this point we are just trying to build a constituency for it, indications we've had from the United States is they are prepared to put in quite a lot of money."

Mr Ban wants countries to commit a quarter of a trillion dollars a year to help developing countries. Mr Key would not commit to helping fund that but, said the New Zealand initiative would be a useful contribution.

Mr Key also met former US President Bill Clinton for 45 minutes.

"He was engaging, he was entertaining," Mr Key said.

Topics ranged from Afghanistan, climate change, economic growth, and welfare reform.

Mr Key assured him New Zealand would play its part.

"He was quite interested in what we were doing in our energy area," geothermal for example.

He talked fondly of New Zealand and former Prime Ministers he met and said he would like to visit again.