KEY POINTS:
A team of 10 New Zealand Defence Force personnel is making final preparations to depart for Lebanon on Monday .
Led by a navy officer the team, comprising three navy operational divers and six New Zealand army engineers, will replace the team now based in Tyre in southern Lebanon.
Working as a battlefield area clearance team they will plan for, locate and dispose of unexploded munitions remaining in the region after the conflict between Israel and Hizbollah in July last year.
Team leader Lieutenant Commander Trevor Leslie said today the job they were going to do was very serious.
"We're trained and ready to do the job, but we know there are going to be a lot of challenges.
"The guys in theatre now are receiving wide acclaim for their efforts from both the United Nations and the international community, and we're ready to pick up that mantle and continue their good work."
He said it would be very satisfying to see families and farmers being able to reoccupy land that had been made safe and allow them to earn their living again.
"That's going to make the job really worthwhile."
The team now serving in Lebanon will return to New Zealand next month.
- NZPA
