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PORT MORESBY - Australia's Chief of Army Peter Leahy has praised Papua New Guinean soldiers for their work in the Solomons Islands and in providing security during their country's recent elections.
On a flying visit to PNG, Lieutenant-General Leahy handed over the keys to a PNG Defence Force ammunition depot newly refurbished under the guidance of Australian army engineers.
Today he visited Australian army sappers working with PNG sappers to refurbish Igam Barracks near Lae under Exercise Pukpuk, a yearly program in which Australian troops help refurbish PNG military facilities.
At a small ceremony yesterday for the handover of the ammunition depot at Goldie Barracks near Port Moresby, Leahy praised PNG Defence Force Commander Peter Ilau for the performance of his troops.
"We've seen the very great professionalism of their force in the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), they're great guys.
"I've complimented Commander Ilau today on the professionalism of the performance of his force during the recent election, deploying across wide parts of the country. Very appropriate. The command and control was good, discipline was good, professionalism was good."
Leahy also commended Ilau on the now-completed downsizing of the PNG Defence Force from around 5,000 troops to 2,000.
"I know the downsizing work has been difficult but he's shown strong leadership and he's got a force that's now balanced, it's affordable and it's appropriate to the type of security threats that we see in the region and Papua New Guinea."
The $1.45 million ammunition depot refurbishment is part of an Australian-assisted program to strengthen armoury and magazine capabilities across PNG to ensure better safekeeping of military arms and ammunition.
PNG has a major problem with illegal firearms in the hands of tribal fighters and "raskol' criminals, many of the weapons stolen from the police and military.
"If these things end up in the wrong hands then, as we have seen sometimes, the public pays the price for it," Ilau said.
He thanked Leahy for Australia's ongoing assistance under the Defence Cooperation Program and said the downsizing project had brought the average age of PNG troops down from around 45 to around 35.
"I think we've proven beyond doubt in the elections that even a smaller force, given proper training and good feed (sic), they will do anything that a larger force can do.
"We're maintaining a force large enough but affordable to the country, to the taxpayer, but still able to do all the jobs we're expected to do," Ilau said.
Leahy leaves PNG tomorrow, ending his fifth trip to the country since he was appointed chief of the army in 2002.
- AAP
