Britain puts welcome rug out for NZ troops

By HELEN TUNNAH deputy political editor

Britain has followed the United States' lead in praising the New Zealand Government's contentious decision to send troops to help rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan.

United Kingdom Secretary of Defence Geoff Hoon said his Government was delighted that up to 160 New Zealand soldiers and engineers would help reconstructive efforts in the war-torn countries.

But he and Defence Minister Mark Burton yesterday avoided talks on a politically embarrassing inquiry into claims that British Prime Minister Tony Blair misled his country about the threat Iraq posed to world peace to justify the US-led war.

Mr Hoon is the first UK Defence Secretary to visit New Zealand in 22 years, an indication of increased international worries about security.

He meets Prime Minister Helen Clark in Auckland today.

Helen Clark has been accused by her political opponents of using the deployment to try to curry favour with the US, which has welcomed the deployment as "meaningful" and a sign of New Zealand's commitment against terrorism.

Describing defence and military ties between New Zealand and the UK as "excellent", Mr Hoon said relations had not been soured by New Zealand's initial refusal to commit troops to the war in Iraq.

"We are where we are," Mr Hoon said of the relationship.

"We are now in the process of helping the Iraqi people to rebuild their country. We very much welcome the offer made by New Zealand to help in that.

"We are delighted they are going to be working alongside British forces in Iraq."

But the Blair Government is under pressure over claims the British public were deceived about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction.

Mr Blair has insisted Iraq posed an imminent threat to world peace, and has denied claims he distorted intelligence information to back the war.

An official inquiry into the claims this week heard from two former British Cabinet ministers, Robin Cook and Clare Short, who said that Mr Blair was guilty of deception.

Mr Hoon said yesterday that weapons of mass destruction would be found and the case for war was justified according to intelligence information that he had seen.

He said it was not taking a long time to find evidence of the weapons, given the time Saddam Hussein had to hide them.

"You've got to be a little patient. He had many months in which to hide those weapons.

"We have got to have time in which to find them."

Defence Minister Mark Burton said he had not asked Mr Hoon for assurances the war was justified.

"No, we've been talking about those areas of co-operation that are now ahead of us."

So far the only apparent evidence of weapons of mass destruction to be found are two mobile laboratories, which US President George W. Bush said were "proof" of Iraq's ability to produce biological weapons.

Herald Feature: Iraq