Post by Dave Homewood on May 22, 2012 18:01:43 GMT 12
Our troops in Afghanistan will be coming home around a year earlier than expected.
22 May 2012
The international community has approved a request by our Foreign Minister that Kiwi troops in Afghanistan start coming home a year earlier than planned.
Those based in Bamyan province will start leaving later this year, and the Provincial Reconstruction Team later in 2013. The troops were not expected to return until 2014.
Foreign minister Murray McCully says the earlier conclusion of transition and withdrawal reflects the outstanding work our troops have done to prepare Bamiyan province for local control.
He's made the announcement in Chicago, where he's attending a NATO Summit hosted by US President Barack Obama.
Mr McCully says it reflects the good work our troops have done and the fact the province is ready to be taken over by local authorities.
He's spent the past few weeks working to get the international approval to bring our soldiers home.
"So I've been involved and so has the Ministry of Defence, and there have been extensive discussions with all of the partners, it was the focus of my recent visit to Brussels as well. So it's been well signalled, well discussed and unanimously signed up to."
Mr McCully says the troops have done the job they went there for and now is the time for local authorities to take over.
He says in the meantime, there is still work to do.
"There'll still be ongoing work in health and education and electricity reticulation. I think there'll also be some work undertaken training officers for the Afghan army at their officer's training academy."
John Key says there were clear reasons for New Zealand being in Afghanistan.
"New Zealand's a small country. In the very, very extreme event that we require support from others, we know we couldn't look after ourselves solely, and so we play our part in the world."
Labour's Foreign Affairs spokesman Phil Goff says it's great news.
"It's time to bring the Kiwi's home. I think they've done a great job in Bamyan but we've been there long enough, it's time to hand over those responsibilities to the local people."
© 2012 NZCity, NewsTalkZB
22 May 2012
The international community has approved a request by our Foreign Minister that Kiwi troops in Afghanistan start coming home a year earlier than planned.
Those based in Bamyan province will start leaving later this year, and the Provincial Reconstruction Team later in 2013. The troops were not expected to return until 2014.
Foreign minister Murray McCully says the earlier conclusion of transition and withdrawal reflects the outstanding work our troops have done to prepare Bamiyan province for local control.
He's made the announcement in Chicago, where he's attending a NATO Summit hosted by US President Barack Obama.
Mr McCully says it reflects the good work our troops have done and the fact the province is ready to be taken over by local authorities.
He's spent the past few weeks working to get the international approval to bring our soldiers home.
"So I've been involved and so has the Ministry of Defence, and there have been extensive discussions with all of the partners, it was the focus of my recent visit to Brussels as well. So it's been well signalled, well discussed and unanimously signed up to."
Mr McCully says the troops have done the job they went there for and now is the time for local authorities to take over.
He says in the meantime, there is still work to do.
"There'll still be ongoing work in health and education and electricity reticulation. I think there'll also be some work undertaken training officers for the Afghan army at their officer's training academy."
John Key says there were clear reasons for New Zealand being in Afghanistan.
"New Zealand's a small country. In the very, very extreme event that we require support from others, we know we couldn't look after ourselves solely, and so we play our part in the world."
Labour's Foreign Affairs spokesman Phil Goff says it's great news.
"It's time to bring the Kiwi's home. I think they've done a great job in Bamyan but we've been there long enough, it's time to hand over those responsibilities to the local people."
© 2012 NZCity, NewsTalkZB
