Iraqi Prime Minister asks for more help from New Zealand

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi would like more help from New Zealand. Photo / Audrey Young

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said his country would like a bigger contribution for longer from New Zealand troops.

He made the comments after a bilateral meeting in New York with Prime Minister John Key.

"We need all the international support possible in the international coalition and New Zealand is part of that," he said.

He acknowledged that New Zealand had extended its training of troops to help defeat Isis, or Da'esh as he calls it.

"The help and support given by New Zealand is very important for us in terms of the coverage of time we extended and in terms of the size," he said.

The army had turned into a national army, which was accepted by all the people now, after having been rejected three years ago.

Asked if he would like a bigger contribution for longer he said: "Of course. I think we want both. We want more support and we want extended support. The extended support because we need training force for a long time."

About 140 New Zealand personnel are running a non-combat training mission for Iraqi troops with Australia at Camp Taji, north of Baghdad.

Only three months ago, the length of the deployment was extended by another 18 months and is now due to continue until November 2018.

It will also expand training to a second military base, south of Baghdad.

Commenting on the Syrian situation, he said : "We want to have a viable regime next door."

Iraq dealt with the Syrian Government because it was in Damascus.
"It is up to the Syrian people to choose the Government through elections but the common purpose must be to defeat all terrorist organisations."

He also said international co-operation on intelligence was important because terrorists came from about 100 countries.