Key sees added risk in Afghan war zone

John Key

New Zealand defence personnel in Afghanistan are facing increasing risks, Prime Minister John Key says.

The Government is considering whether to send more troops to Afghanistan after a request from the United States but would only do so if "a surge" hastened overall withdrawal.

If a short-term larger commitment led to a speedier end to deployment, New Zealand would be sympathetic as troops were facing increased risk, Mr Key said yesterday.

"The risk assessments that I am getting from Afghanistan is that our troops in the PRT [provincial reconstruction team] in Bamiyan province are becoming at risk. In other words, the situation in Afghanistan is becoming more unstable."

The Government had not received a detailed proposal of what the United States sought but the US embassy raised the issue with Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff.

"It was a general discussion and it was in line with the request that we understand that they are making to other Nato and ISF (International Stabilisation Force) countries to consider the wider response to Afghanistan," Mr Key said.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had subsequently discussed the issue.
Mr McCully confirmed that the US had asked New Zealand for additional help, particularly from the SAS.

New Zealand's elite SAS troops have had three previous missions to Afghanistan, the last in 2006.

Mr McCully said the Government would consider its resources, and take into account the rollover of the PRT of about 140 Defence Force personnel that would be in Afghanistan until at least September next year.

Mr Key said it would be a hard decision to make. "It's not [one] that we would make lightly".

He said whether refusal would hurt NZ's relationship with the US or not would not be a "determining factor".

The Government had to consider capability and current deployments in Afghanistan, East Timor and Solomon Islands.

Mr Key said the criteria for sending more troops were "whether we can see a plan, whether the plan in our opinion is likely to work and whether it fits in with our long-term exit strategy".

Green Party MP Keith Locke said it was good the Government was not rushing the decision.

The New Zealand PRT's team's work had made a positive difference, he said. "By contrast, the United States and British-led war effort seem to have destabilised much of the south of the country and helped the Taliban recruit more fighters."

- NZPA