New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has accused the Government of undermining its campaign to win a seat on the United Nations Security Council by making diplomatic blunders.
The vote will be held next October and Prime Minister John Key believes the Government has so far done all it can in the campaign.
New Zealand is bidding to be on the Security Council for a two year tern from January 2015. Being on the Council has diplomatic benefits, and Mr Key has argued it would also give the country an economic boost.
But Mr Peters, a former Foreign Affairs Minister, says the Government's stance on the environment and its comments about the Middle East and North Korea have made New Zealand's chances of getting on the Security Council much more difficult.
(Radio New Zealand's Insight programme on Sunday will look at New Zealand's bid.)