Ministers shield troops from flak

New Zealand and Australian defence heads deny forces are hindering progress in Afghanistan. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

The Defence Ministers of New Zealand and Australia have defended the role of their troops in Afghanistan after the Afghan President claimed international forces were impeding reconstruction.

Wayne Mapp and his Australian counterpart, Stephen Smith, met yesterday to discuss areas where the two countries are working together.

Their meeting came as Hamid Karzai, the Afghan leader, told the BBC that provincial reconstruction teams were "hindering" development and governance.


The Government is expected to decide next month on the future of the 140 personnel serving on a PRC in Bamiyan.

Yesterday Dr Mapp said President Karzai was simply voicing the desire of the citizens to take charge of their own country.

He believed 2013/2014 remained a realistic timeframe for a handover and rejected claims of little progress.

"I see it when I go there. There's a tangible difference in the place on each visit I make. There's a greater level of infrastructure capacity, more kids at school, more health clinics."

He said governance was also improving.


Mr Smith said he expected Australia's team - based in the more volatile Uruzgan province - would have to stay longer than New Zealand's Bamiyan team.

"We don't want to be there forever, and we can't be there forever. But we think we're on track to transition in accordance with the [2014] timetable set out. The mistake we don't want to make is transition too early."

Dr Mapp and Mr Smith announced further co-operation after major reviews.

Dr Mapp said much of their discussion was on sharing resources in the tight economy.

Those areas included plans for HMNZS Canterbury to be used as part of the Australian Navy's shift to amphibious craft.

Dr Mapp said planning for a joint reaction force to provide a swift response to natural disasters and humanitarian crises in the Pacific region was due to begin next month.

It would provide a "tangible expression of Anzac ties in the modern age".