VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWL #0221 0710507
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 120507Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4016
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 4784
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 0034
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA IMMEDIATE 0281
RUEHPF/AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH IMMEDIATE 0047
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE IMMEDIATE 0468
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO IMMEDIATE 0050

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000221 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/FO AND EAP/ANP 
NSC FOR VICTOR CHA 
OSD FOR JESSICA POWERS 
PHNOM PENH FOR POL/MCKEAN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2017 
TAGS: MARR MOPS PINS PREL PGOV NZ
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND EXTENDS AFGHAN DEPLOYMENTS FOR ONE YEAR 
 
REF: WELLINGTON 146 
 
Classified By: Charge D'Affaires David J. Keegan, 
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary: The New Zealand Cabinet today approved the 
extension of current NZDF deployments to Afghanistan for one 
year, through September 2008, vice the two years that MoD 
requested (reftel).  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and 
Trade (MFAT) told post that the Cabinet wanted the chance to 
revisit the deployment next year in order to determine 
whether the situation on the ground warrants altering the 
composition of the force.  MFAT predicts the deployment will 
be extended again next year through September 2009.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) Prime Minister Clark announced on March 12 that New 
Zealand will extend its current NZDF/police deployments in 
Afghanistan through September 2008.  The deployments, 
including 120 personnel in the PRT, two personnel to train 
the Afghan National Army, up to five NZDF officers to serve 
at ISAF headquarters, and four police officers to help train 
the Afghan National police, were to expire in September 2007. 
 The PM also announced that a new deployment of an NZDF 
frigate to join the Maritime Interdiction Operation (MIO) in 
the Arabian Sea for one month in mid-2008.  Two NZDF medics 
will also serve in the Canadian PRT in Kandahar. 
 
¶3. (C) The decision to extend the deployment for one year was 
taken by Cabinet earlier in the day.  As we reported front 
channel (Wellington 146) MoD had requested Ministers approve 
a two-year extension (to September 2009), to avoid the 
Government having to review the deployment close to the time 
of the next NZ general election, currently expected for 
September 2008.  But Matt Paterson, Policy Officer in MFAT's 
Security Policy Decision,  says the Cabinet wanted a chance 
to review the potentially dangerous deployments in one year 
to assure that they are appropriate for the conditions in 
Afghanistan at that time.  Paterson says it is highly 
probable the Cabinet will again extend the deployments next 
year, to September 2009, although they may choose to alter 
the number and type of forces on the ground if the situation 
warrants it.  Paterson also says  that the medics are being 
sent to the Canadian PRT at the request of the GOC.  Up to 
two medics will be deployed at any one time; they will be 
rotated in and out depending on what specialists are needed. 
 
 
¶4. (U) FYI: Defense Minister Goff announced on March 6 that 
Singapore is to send Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel 
to serve under the NZDF PRT in Bamiyan.  A five-person SAF 
team is to open a dental clinic at a provincial hospital, and 
five SAF engineers will join NZDF engineers and local 
contractors to construct and maintain bridges in the 
province.  Singapore, who together with New Zealand, 
Australia, the UK and Malaysia is a member of the Five 
Nations Defence Arrangements, provided similar support to 
NZDF in East Timor from May 2001 - November 2002.  End FYI. 
Keegan