US Would Like NZ Troops To Extend Their Afghanistan Mission

The US government clearly appreciates the presence of New Zealand special forces soldiers in Afghanistan and would like them to remain in country beyond the scheduled withdrawal date.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday that she hopes New Zealand will extend the mission of its special forces soldiers in Afghanistan. She also said she wants to leverage enhanced U.S.-New Zealand ties to promote human rights, democracy and environmental issues across the Asia-Pacific.

Visiting the South Island city of Christchurch, Clinton praised the work of New Zealand's 40 Special Air Service elite combat troops in Afghanistan and said she would like them to stay beyond the end of their current tour of duty early next year. But, she said the decision would be up to the government.

"They are very highly regarded," she told TV New Zealand in an interview. "They work extremely professionally."

"We have a high regard for New Zealand and the troops that you deploy there, of course we would like them to stay as long as you have them stay," Clinton said.

She said she had discussed New Zealand's military presence in Afghanistan, both the special forces and a 140-strong provincial reconstruction team of troops in Bamiyan, in talks with Prime Minister John Key in the capital of Wellington on Thursday. She would not say if she had asked him to keep the troops in Afghanistan.

"It's a decision of the government and people of New Zealand but I certainly praised their performance and expressed to the prime minister how grateful both our military and civilian officials are at the work that is being done by the troops from New Zealand," Clinton said.

By: Shelldrake