WELLINGTON : New Zealand is suspending all high-level contact with Myanmar and imposing a travel ban on its military leaders following last week’s coup, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Tuesday.

New Zealand will also ensure its aid programme will not include projects that are delivered with, or benefit, the military government, Ardern told a news conference.

New Zealand’s aid programme was worth about NZ$42 million ($30 million) between 2018 and 2021, she said.

New Zealand does not recognise the legitimacy of the military-led government and called on the military to immediately release all detained political leaders and restore civilian rule, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said in a separate statement.

Mahuta said the government has also agreed to implement a travel ban, to be formalised in the coming week, on Myanmar’s military leaders.

Myanmar’s military leader has vowed to hold a new election and hand power to the winner, seeking to calm mounting protests against the coup that overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government.

($1 = 1.3797 New Zealand dollars)