"Today's announcement restores our mana and our moral authority to speak in international fora on issues of justice, rights and peace," stated New Zealand's Minister of Maori Affairs, Dr. Pita Sharples.

"While the declaration is non-binding, it both affirms accepted rights and establishes future aspirations. My objective is to build better relationships between Maori and the Crown, and I believe that supporting the declaration is a small but significant step in that direction," added New Zealand's Prime Minister, John Key.

When the UN General Assembly adopted the UN Declaration on the Right of Indigenous Peoples (hereinafter simply Declaration) on September 13, 2007: 143 countries voted in favour, 11 abstained, while 4 countries (New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and the United States) opposed the Declaration.

The day following New Zealand's announcement, Washington's U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice announced that the U.S. would be reviewing it's opposition to the Declaration.

Canadian Governor General Michaelle Jean, in her March 03, 2010 Speech from the Throne, declared: "A growing number of states have given qualified recognition to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Our Government will take steps to endorse this aspirational document in a manner fully consistent with Canada's Constitution and laws,"

Despite the apparent reversal of positions, it remains to be seen when Canada or the U.S. will affirm the Declaration, or what caveats they will demand in return.