Extra troops unlikely for Afghanistan

New Zealand's provincial reconstruction team is staying in Afghanistan until next September.

Helen Clark has all but ruled out sending more troops to Afghanistan, despite British hopes New Zealand might help build a new counter-insurgency force.

The Prime Minister revealed yesterday that Britain had approached Defence Force officials about forming a British-led Nato force to replace the declining United States presence there, and had referred the issue to the Government.

This was around the time of the election, and official talks had yet to be held.

Helen Clark will meet Nato leaders in Brussels early next month and said yesterday that the issue might be raised then.

But she said it was not envisaged that greater numbers of troops - either SAS or provincial reconstruction teams - would be pledged.

New Zealand has about 50 SAS troops in Afghanistan and a 120-strong Provincial Reconstruction Team.

"For a small country we have made an incredible commitment to Afghanistan and it is unlikely that that commitment could be further extended," said Helen Clark.

She clarified this as being related to extra troop numbers, rather than time frames.

New Zealand could manage current numbers, "but going beyond that levels of deployment is a big ask for a small force like NZ".

The reconstruction team was committed until next September and Helen Clark said earlier Cabinet would decide the future of the SAS after US troops pull out.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Defence Force, Air Marshal Bruce Ferguson, said after visiting the 50 SAS soldiers, that they were "operating at the top of the special forces envelope and are regarded as among the best in their field by other coalition forces".

Air Marshal Ferguson said they were involved in long-range reconnaissance patrolling and "are involved in direct action if required.

"If they come across enemy forces, they can engage them," he said in the defence publication, New Zealand Defence Update.

"Their mission is to reconnoitre and report back covertly. If they are compromised at all - for example, ambushed - they must be prepared to fight their way out."

He said after his fourth visit to troops in Afghanistan, the change in the local population was amazing.

Air Marshal Ferguson said there were children playing in the streets and woman without burqas, something he would never have seen on his first two visits.

He said Bamiyan, where the New Zealand provincial reconstruction team was based, had the highest voter registrations, the highest voter turnout and the highest female turnout in elections for a parliament and a president.

"Bamiyan is leading the way in Afghanistan in the introduction of democracy. I take a lot of pride in the role the PRT [provincial reconstruction team] has played in that."

He said it was important the New Zealand team avoided at all costs the development of the "cargo cult" mentality.

- additional reporting NZPA