John Key

Wellington, April 20 NZPA - New Zealand defence personnel in Afghanistan are facing increasing risks, Prime Minister John Key says.

The Government is considering whether to send more troops to Afghanistan after a request from the United States but would only do so if "a surge" hastened overall withdrawal.

If a short-term larger commitment led to a speedier end to deployment in Afghanistan, New Zealand would be sympathetic especially as troops were facing increased risk, Mr Key told reporters.

"The risk assessments that I am getting from Afghanistan is that our troops in the PRT in Bamiyan province are becoming at risk. In other words the situation in Afghanistan is becoming more unstable."

The Government had not received a detailed proposal of what was wanted from the United States government, Mr Key said today.

The US embassy raised the issue with Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff, he said.

"It was a general discussion and it was in line with the request that we understand that they are making to other Nato and ISF (International Stabilisation Force) countries to consider the wider response to Afghanistan," Mr Key told reporters.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had subsequently touched on it.

Mr McCully confirmed yesterday that the US had asked New Zealand for additional help in Afghanistan, particularly from the SAS and civilians.

New Zealand's elite SAS troops have had three previous missions to Afghanistan, last in 2006.

Mr McCully said the Government was going to consider its resources, and take into account the rollover of the provincial reconstruction team (PRT) of about 140 Defence Force personnel that was already operating in Afghanistan and would be there until at least September next year.

Mr Key said it would be a hard decision to make. "It's not (one) that we would make lightly".

He said whether refusal would hurt New Zealand's relationship with the US or not would not be a "determining factor".

The Government had to consider capability and current deployments in Afghanistan, East Timor and Solomon Islands.

Mr Key said the criteria for sending more troops were "whether we can see a plan, whether the plan in our opinion is likely to work and whether it fits in with our long term exit strategy".

Green Party MP Keith Locke said it was good the Government was not rushing the decision.

His party said peacekeeping efforts and the New Zealand PRT's team's work had made a positive difference.

"By contrast the United States and British-led war effort seem to have destabilised much of the south of the country and helped the Taliban recruit more fighters."

NZPA PAR mt kc gt