Hon Phil Goff
Minister of Defence

23 April 2007
Media statement

Karzai praises New Zealand peacekeepers

Afghanistan President, Hamid Karzai, conveyed the deep appreciation of his country for the work done by New Zealand peacekeepers in Afghanistan to Defence Minister Phil Goff during a 45 minute meeting in Kabul today.

“The President told me that it gave his people a huge boost in confidence that New Zealanders came to Afghanistan from so far away to help build peace and stability”, Mr Goff said.

“The Presidents comments echoed those of others I met today including Ministers, NGO’s and other foreign missions in Kabul who spoke of New Zealand’s Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamyan as a model for others to follow.

“President Karzai was also upbeat about progress in Afghanistan, pointing to a surge in road building, a projected 12% economic growth rate this year and access to health and education by more Afghans. He spoke with confidence about a strengthening Afghan National Army which would progressively, over five to ten years, assume the role currently played by the international security forces.

“The level of progress in reconstruction and new commercial and residential buildings in Kabul is certainly obvious compared to my last visit here two years ago. I was particularly impressed to see boys and girls coming out together from a newly built secondary school, when less that a decade ago girls had been banned by the Taliban from even attending school.

“The security situation on the ground here is however still tense, while people wait to see if there will be a further Taliban offensive this spring and whether there will be an upsurge in terrorists using improvised explosive devices and suicide bombings, authorities nevertheless are confident that they are strongly placed to respond to any offensive", said Mr Goff.

In addition to President Karzai, Mr Goff also met with Vice President Masood, Minister of Defence Wardak and Minister of the Interior Moqbel. Tomorrow he meets with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General Tom Koenigs and ISAF General Dan McNeil. He departs for the New Zealand PRT in Bamyan where he will commemorate ANZAC Day with New Zealand troops there.

ENDS

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