KEY POINTS:
The First Lady of the United States has been given a warm Kiwi welcome by the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team (NZPRT) at their Afghanistan base in in Bamyan Province yesterday.
Mrs Laura Bush was confronted with a full-on mid-morning haka before meeting NZPRT Commander Colonel Darryl Tracy and other members of the
Provincial Reconstruction Team.
Mrs Bush is undertaking an unannounced tour of the war torn region, hoping to persuade world leaders to keep continue their fight against the Taliban.
She later thanked the Provincial Reconstruction Team for the greeting and for New Zealand's work in Afghanistan on behalf of President Bush and the people of the United States.
Mrs Bush was also introduced to the men and women in each task group of the New Zealand Defence Force contingent, New Zealand police, US and Singaporean Armed Forces and civilians who work and live at Kiwi Base.
Major Justin de la Haye had the honour of being Mrs Bush's escort officer.
"Mrs Bush was very knowledgeable about New Zealand's contribution to Afghanistan. She was a very charming lady and was very interested in the history of the Haka," Major De la Haye said.
Colonel Darryl Tracy, who met Mrs Bush, told her the NZDF enjoyed their work in Bamyan.
"We are a small nation with a small Defence Force but we appreciate very much the relationship we have been able to forge with our United States coalition partners. We enjoy working beside them and under their command."
The First Lady's three hour trip to Bamyan province included a visit to an Afghanistan national police training centre where New Zealand police officers mentor training instructors, an orphanage, a women's business workshop and a ground breaking ceremony for a new road in the Bamyan bazaar.
The 134-strong NZ PRT is tasked with assisting in security and reconstruction in Bamyan Province.
There are currently 624 New Zealand Defence Force personnel deployed on 16 operations, UN missions and defence exercises around the world.
- NZ HERALD STAFF
