Busy time abroad for NZ troops

New Zealand has pledged more than 700 defence staff to at least 19 overseas posts this year, marking one of the busiest peacetime periods on record for our soldiers.

Sunday's announcement that up to 240 soldiers and police would be sent to the Solomon Islands to restore order came after a pledge that up to 100 defence staff would be sent to Afghanistan and a further 60 to Iraq.

Greater numbers have been sent overseas before in peacetime - for example, to East Timor - but it is rare for New Zealand to be engaged in so many different operations.

The deployments can be seen as a bid to stifle criticism that New Zealand has shirked its military duties by slashing its defence spending.

But a spokesman for Foreign Minister Phil Goff said there was no deliberate policy for New Zealand's military to be more active. "We've always looked to assist overseas if we can."

A spokesman for the Defence Force, Wing Commander John Seward, confirmed that the number of deployments was "among the highest we've had".

New Zealand troops are engaged in a wide range of tasks in their overseas deployments, mostly centred on peacekeeping, observing, policing and removing landmines.

The longest deployment has been to the Middle East, where New Zealanders have acted as observers since 1954 under the United Nations Truce Supervisory Organisation.

Seven New Zealand observers are based in Jerusalem, responsible for areas throughout Israel and Syria.

The second-longest commitment is as part of an 11-nation team observing the nearby Sinai Peninsula. The deployment started in 1982 with a detachment of helicopters and now includes 27 New Zealand staff working in training, advising and transport.

Some other deployments include Navy and Air Force staff. The frigate Te Mana yesterday began steaming back from the Gulf of Oman, where it replaced Te Kaha on missions that included boarding ships.

Nineteen staff are due to return from Bougainville this year.

Wing Commander Seward said most defence staff were posted abroad on three-month, six-month or 12-month deployments, after which they were replaced.

Defence capabilities do not appear to be stretched by the deployments. In East Timor, defence chiefs showed they could deploy 1200 soldiers at any one time.