Key to consider longer Afghan tour for troops

KABUL: The head of international forces in Afghanistan wants New Zealand troops to stay longer and Prime Minister John Key says he will consider the possibility.

General Stanley McChrystal, commander of the International Security Assistance Force, told New Zealand journalists in Kabul that progress in areas such as Bamiyan, where New Zealand has 140 personnel, was critical to securing peace.

The Government wants to phase out NZ's presence in Afghanistan. The rotation for the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Bamiyan is set to end in September and the 70 Special Air Service soldiers in Kabul are due to leave in March.

General McChrystal did not directly ask Mr Key for an extension when they met on Saturday on the PM's first day in the country, but in an unusual move told reporters that was what he wanted.

"It is something I would like to see. I try to shy away from dealing with the requirements for any country. I think that's for the wider coalition leadership to do. But what I have found is continuity of commitment to the Afghan people is important."

The general added: "I expressed the value of New Zealand's commitment but it's inappropriate for me to make those kinds of discussions with national leaders."

He said he valued the professionalism and effectiveness of New Zealand troops.

"The forces that New Zealand provides are extraordinarily professional, as you well know, and they are key members of the coalition."

Having countries like New Zealand as part of a coalition of 46 nations removed the idea of an occupation and increased credibility, the general said.

The work of the PRT in Bamiyan was what needed to be replicated around the country.

"In places like Bamiyan, the work we're doing, they don't get the headlines because we don't have as many suicide bombs going off or violence in the area, but that's really where we are building the foundation of Afghanistan.

"Now we will eventually make progress like that everywhere in the country but it will take longer in areas where it is violent now."

Mr Key said the PRT commitment was likely to roll over for another year and then start reducing with more civilians coming in.

"Over time the composition is going to change away from the military capability to a civilian capability and that's the plan. That will be starting in 2011. And that's part of the handing back of control, if you like, to the people of Afghanistan, so there will be a military capability, it might be around 50 people."

Mr Key said the SAS's commitment would be looked at. "The SAS preference would be to have a smaller contingent to stay for a bit longer."

He said the SAS had recently had a big success uncovering a "tremendous" cache of weapons in Kabul including missiles and hand grenades.

However, he would not commit himself to allowing them to remain.

* Two former military chiefs with diplomatic experience will become New Zealand's first resident ambassador in Kabul and first civilian director of the PRT in Bamiyan.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully said Neville Reilly, a retired brigadier, will be the ambassador and Dick Newlands, a retired air commodore, will head the PRT.

- NZPA