Nz Confirms Aid Package To Kosovan Refugees

New Zealand's assistance to Kosovan refugees will extend to an RNZAF Hercules, a Defence Force medical team and an offer of resettlement for up to 200 families linked to New Zealand's Albanian community, Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, announced today.

The C130 Hercules and medical team are expected to leave Auckland late this afternoon. They should be available to start their humanitarian aid tasks from Saturday 17 April.

The decisions were announced following consideration by Cabinet this morning.

"These decisions reflect the concern of New Zealanders to help with the continuing crisis arising from refugee displacement and ethnic cleansing around Kosovo," Mrs Shipley said.

Mrs Shipley confirmed that New Zealand would offer the following assistance:

A C130 Hercules, two aircrews and 15 support personnel (total 27 RNZAF personnel) to be known as the KIWI KOSAID detachment. On behalf of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Hercules will carry UN World Food Programme aid from locations in Europe to Tirana in Albania and Skopje in Macedonia.

The detachment will receive its tasks from the UNHCR and will work under the operational control of the British Royal Air Force. KIWI KOSAID will be based at either RAF Base Lynham in the United Kingdom or Pisa in Northern Italy.

The Defence Force medical team, known as KIWI KOSMED detachment, comprises a Navy medic, a doctor, nurse and medic from the Army, and a doctor and an environmental health officer from the RNZAF. Their tasks will be co-ordinated by the UNHCR in consultation with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC). It is expected that the team will work with refugees at camps in the region surrounding Kosovo.

"We have taken note of the weekend comments by the UNHCR that large scale temporary displacement of refugees from the region will not assist their eventual repatriation to Kosovo.

"Consistent with the position of the UNHCR New Zealand will not be proceeding with any moves to offer large scale temporary refuge here.

"We will however offer permanent settlement for up to 200 refugee families linked to New Zealand's Albanian Community.

"These families will be offered resettlement on a permanent basis. Should they choose to return to Kosovo at a later time when peace is restored, New Zealand will help them in that process," Mrs Shipley said.

The Government will be working with the UNHCR and New Zealand Albanians to identify the refugee families and bring them out to New Zealand over coming months.

"The Government is keen to see close liaison with community groups and the New Zealand Albanian community to achieve the successful settlement of the refugees in New Zealand," said Mrs Shipley.