Wellington  - New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully Friday expressed his country's condolences on the death of former Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas, who he described as one of South-east Asia's most eminent statesmen.

McCully said Alatas had been a good friend to New Zealand over several decades and particularly noted the role he played in building the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) into a major force for regional progress and stability.