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NZ US Council mourns the passing of Ambassador Anne Clark Martindell

12 June 2008

The NZ US Council expresses its deepest sympathy to the family of Anne C Martindell, former US Ambassador to New Zealand (1979-1981) and founder of the US NZ Council who died in Princeton, New Jersey, yesterday.

NZ US Council Executive Director Stephen Jacobi said Ambassador Martindell had a great love for New Zealand which was demonstrated by her initiative to found the Washington-based Council in 1986. 

"Her foresight in bringing together an American constituency for New Zealand in Washington DC at a time of great strain has played a key role in taking the relationship to where it is today. We New Zealanders owe her a great debt of gratitude for her wisdom, leadership and inspiration”.

Mr Jacobi said that as a sign of her continuing commitment to US NZ relations Ambassador Martindell travelled to Auckland in September 2007 at age 92 to attend the second US NZ Partnership Forum.

Ambassador Martindell chats with Prime Minister Helen Clark and Assistant Secretary of State Chris Hill at the Auckland Partnership Forum in 2007

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