Canberra seeks NZ soldiers for the Solomons

By GREG ANSLEY

Australia will urge New Zealand to send troops to the Solomons when the Foreign Ministers of the two nations meet in Adelaide this weekend to discuss intervention in the crisis-ridden islands.

A range of options is still being discussed, with the preference of both Governments for a Pacific police force backed with a minimal Army presence to deter heavily armed criminals and militia.

Australia has said that it envisages a total force of about 2000, mostly ships' crews and support units for about 200 police and a similar number of infantry.

New Zealand has declined to speculate on its involvement, but Australia wants Kiwi troops and believes they are likely to be provided.

"We'd very much look to our friends in New Zealand, who've been just wonderful on this issue," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told the National Press Club.

"I can't tell you how close the co-operation's been with New Zealand over the last few weeks on this issue, but we look to them to provide some military support.

"They did a great job in Timor."

Canberra is keen for a significant New Zealand role for a number of reasons, apart from easing the burden of personnel and equipment for an operation expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

The Australian Government is acutely aware of Pacific sensibilities and perceptions that it is throwing its weight around in the region, and wants to ensure that any Solomons expedition has the full approval - and as much participation as possible - from the neighbours.

"You do come up against the sense in the Pacific that Australia is this sort of superpower and can be a little aggressive, so we want to find a balance here of making sure the problem is fixed ... but not in a way that is going to cause massive diplomatic fallout in the region," Mr Downer said.

Australia's preference for New Zealand troops also reflects changing perceptions in Canberra of Wellington's defence policy, swinging away from blanket criticism of military budgets, fewer frigates and the scrapping of the Air Force combat wing.

Australia has noted the re-equipping of the Army and recognises the usefulness of well-trained and equipped light infantry able to deploy rapidly.

The new Navy patrol ship and offshore patrol vessels, some or all of which will be ice-strengthened, have also interested Canberra.

Said Defence Minister Robert Hill: "We have a particular interest in the New Zealand project to acquire new maritime capability, because some of those capabilities will be in areas where we don't have similar ships."