NZ won't increase troops to Afghanistan - McCully

A member of the NZ SAS on patrol in Afghanistan. Photo / Supplied

New Zealand's troop commitment to Afghanistan won't be increased, despite a top American commander warning the war could be lost unless more soldiers are sent in, Foreign Minister Murray McCully says.

Prime Minister John Key announced yesterday 71 elite Special Air Service (SAS) troops had arrived in Afghanistan to join the international force that is striving to stabilise the country.

His announcement coincided with the publication of a leaked report by United States Army General Stanley McChrystal, the top commander of US and Nato forces in Afghanistan, warning that without additional troops the mission "will likely result in failure".

There are already more than 100,000 foreign soldiers in Afghanistan, battling a Taleban insurgency which has taken control of many parts of the country.

New Zealand's commitment is the SAS troops and about 140 defence force personnel who are running a provincial reconstruction team (PRT) in Bamyan province.

The PRT will be gradually wound down and the SAS troops will stay in Afghanistan for 18 months.

Mr McCully, in New York for the opening of the United Nations General Assembly session which will also be attended by Mr Key, said the Government had made its decisions on troop commitments.

"Information that might or might not come to light now won't affect those decisions," he said in an interview with One News.

"We made a decision based on requests that were made earlier in the year.

"We looked at our capacity to provide assistance, we looked at not just military support but also what we could do on the civilian front and what we could do with our diplomatic representation in Kabul as well."

Mr Key, due to arrive in New York tonight (NZT), is expected to discuss the situation in Afghanistan when he meets US and Nato leaders.

He is likely to meet US President Barack Obama at a UN function in New York, but only briefly.

Latest reports from Washington say the Pentagon has told Gen McChrystal to delay submitting a request for additional troops until the Obama administration completes a review of its strategy.

- NZPA