UN invited NZ troops, says Clark

By KEVIN NORQUAY

BRUSSELS - New Zealand's stance on the Iraq war had nothing to do with the United Nations inviting Defence Force personnel to help clear mines there, Prime Minister Helen Clark said yesterday.

Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff announced on Tuesday that up to 15 Defence Force personnel would help the UN Mine Action Service (Unmas) survey and clear land mines and unexploded bombs.

Opposition MP Ken Shirley called it a hollow gesture, needed to appease the United States after the Prime Minister upset the Administration with her comments on the war.

But Helen Clark said in Brussels yesterday that the mission was a UN initiative.

"I don't think New Zealand's position on the war has influenced that invitation one way or the other," she said.

"We are known to have an expertise in mine clearance ... so the UN will always come to New Zealand at a very early stage to see if we can help.

"As I've been saying for some time, we've been sounded out informally, and we're delighted to help."

Defence Force personnel will help to clear mines and unexploded bombs in Iraq.

Mr Shirley welcomed the contribution but said it was a hollow gesture.

"It is clear that we need to do much more to appease our traditional allies after the appalling blunders of Helen Clark," he said.

National MP Wayne Mapp said the offer came far too late to repair damage Helen Clark had wrought on New Zealand's international relations with traditional allies.

"The Government is deluding itself if it believes this contribution of mine clearers to the UN will make up for the appalling gaffe by Helen Clark."

New Zealand's offer needed to be made to the "coalition of the willing" - the US, Britain, Australia and others - as well as the UN, for it to be meaningful, he said, and it should have come earlier.

Helen Clark said she did not intend wasting time on what National was saying.

"It took them a long time to work out whether they were for the war or not, then they still can't say whether they would have sent troops," she said.

"I don't think we'll be wasting too much breath on their position."

Green MP Keith Locke welcomed the decision and said New Zealand must continue to help only through the UN or humanitarian agencies such as the Red Cross.

Mr Goff said the Unmas group would initially concentrate on areas where unexploded bombs were keeping humanitarian teams out.

Two of the 15 personnel would go to Iraq within the next two to three weeks, as would a third person based in Cyprus.

The rest of the personnel would join the programme once it was up and running.

- NZPA

Herald Feature: Iraq