‘Open door’ for Mr Gill

Press, 25 August 1980, Page 5

‘Open door’ for Mr Gill

NZPA Washington If Mr Armistead Selden is returned to Congress this year, the door of his office will always be open to the new New Zealand Ambassador to the United States (Mr T. F. Gill). In saying this, Mr Selden added that he was “very flattered” to ’ ' that the work he did in Wellington as United States Ambassador was directly responsible for Mr Gill’s getting the post in Washington. The Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) said the decision was made because of the example Mr Selden set in Wellington as the United States’ longest-serving ambassador to New Zealand. Mr Muldoon noted that Mr Selden had been a congressman for 16 j oars, “and they never had an

ambassador who was closer to the New Zealand politicians than Armistead Selden because he spoke the same language." He had done so much good that the Government had decided, “Shouldn’t we do thatfl” Mr Muldoon said. Speaking from Alabama, where he is campaigning for re-election to the senate, Mr Selden said, “1 am very flattered that Mr Muldoon feels that I did a good job in New Zealand, and I appreciate his sentiments.

“I am looking forward very much to seeing Mr Gill when I return to Washington as Senator for Alabama in January, and he will always have an open door to my office,” Mr Selden said.