Wellington, June 24 NZPA - Prime Minister John Key says there has been no change in the Government's position to pull SAS troops out of Afghanistan in March.

SAS members in Afghanistan told Mr Key in May it was their wish to have a small contingent remain in the capital Kabul after March.

Cabinet had not yet considered that, Mr Key told reporters today. He expected them to make a decision in October or November.

"I wouldn't read too much into it, it's just the request that they had."

They were still on track to come back about March, he said.

The SAS would need to give a lot of notice of the end of their mission so replacements could be organised.

The number of defence force personnel in the Bamiyan province was decreasing but New Zealand's presence there was likely to continue past 2011.

They have to be decreased at a "slightly slower" rate than planned, Mr Key said.

"We need to make sure we provide the security and protection for our people that are working there."

At a defence select committee in Parliament today, Defence Minister Wayne Mapp said there was no change in Cabinet's position to keep the SAS troops in Kabul only until March next year and the provincial reconstruction team in Bamiyan province until September next year.

However, Dr Mapp said it was likely the aid team could stay longer in some form, and that as long as New Zealand had such a presence in Bamiyan there would have to be some sort of reduced defence presence there as well.

Mr Key said there would be a new commander in chief, General David Petraeus, after Stanley McChrystal resigned over his comments in a Rolling Stone magazine article.

The strategy in Afghanistan was likely to remain unchanged under the new leadership which was a good thing, he said.

"No one should under estimate the difficulties in Afghanistan."

It would be up to Cabinet to decide whether that position should be changed, he said.

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