Relations between Wellington and Washington have been strained for two decades by New Zealand's ban on nuclear arms and power, introduced by David Lange's Labour government after winning power in 1984.

Peters wants to begin mending ties with the US from next week when he makes his first overseas trip as foreign minister to South Korea for a summit of the 21 economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

The controversial politician who has campaigned for cutting immigration from Asia was chosen as foreign minister by Prime Minister Helen Clark last month as part of a deal to win the support of his New Zealand First political party for her minority government.

"I'll take it step by step and I hope to be in the United States early next year and I'll begin to advance this relationship," Peters told Radio New Zealand.

"I think we really need to go back and say over these last 20 years what could we have done better -- not changed our nuclear policy because that's the wish of the New Zealand people -- but what could we have done better on both sides to start to learn from our experience."

New Zealand was forced to leave the ANZUS defence alliance with the US and Australia after the ban on nuclear-powered and armed ships.

Relations have continued to be strained and New Zealand has not been offered a free trade agreement with the US, unlike neighbour Australia which remains one of Washington's closest allies.

Peters said he was optimistic the US would be open to a closer relationship with New Zealand after outgoing US ambassador Charles Swindells called in July for a more open and honest dialogue between the two countries.

Swindells said the two countries needed to move beyond the disagreements of the past two decades.

Peters said the former US ambassador was calling for the nuclear issue to be put to the side.

"What I'm really arguing for is to look at the other areas where New Zealand and the United States have a significant common cause and see if we can improve on that," he said.

"If they can offer a free trade agreement to Morocco then we've got to be in with a chance to improve our relationship."

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