NZ TROOPS LEAVE FOR GULF

The Minister of Defence, Max Bradford, today announced that New Zealand's contribution to the Multinational Coalition being assembled to pursue Iraq's compliance with United Nations obligations would depart New Zealand tomorrow morning. Prime Minister Jenny Shipley and Defence Minister Mr Bradford will farewell "Operation GRIFFIN" personnel at about 8am at the Whenuapai Air Base.

Mr Bradford said the decision to leave tomorrow morning had been finalised this afternoon, following Cabinet's decision on Monday that New Zealand would participate in the Multinational Coalition. "The Government's decision relates only to deploying New Zealanders to join the Multinational Coalition," Mr Bradford said.

"We continue to hope that through the United Nations a diplomatic solution will be found. None of us want to see military action, but the central issue in this is that Iraq's government has failed to meet legally binding obligations under the United Nations Security Council Resolution 687." Mr Bradford said the Government was fully satisfied that its decision to participate in the multinational Coalition was consistent with New Zealand's long standing support for the provisions of the United Nations Charter and collective security, our abhorrence of chemical and biological weapons, and our tradition as a responsible international citizen.

"But should diplomacy fail, and I emphasise that it is the Coalition Government's sincere hope it will succeed, New Zealand must be prepared to act in concert with others to uphold and if necessary enforce international peace and security," Mr Bradford said. "This issue is a litmus test for the Closer Defence Relationship Arrangement with Australia, and I am delighted to say there has been nothing but the fullest cooperation from the Australian Minister of Defence, Ian McLachlan, and the Australian Defence Force.

The same is true of our discussions with the United States." Also farewelling the forces will be New Zealand First's Defence Spokesperson, Ron Mark, Albany MP Murray McCully (whose electorate includes Whenuapai Air Base), Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant General Tony Birks, Chief of General Staff Major General Piers Reid and the Chief of Air Staff Air Vice-Marshall Carey Adamson.

Departing from Whenuapai tomorrow morning will be an Orion, a Hercules and a Boeing 727 carrying up to 20 SAS personnel, about 50 Royal New Zealand Air Force personnel (an Orion crew, contingent commander, two operations officers and 34 support personnel).

The RNZAF Boeing 727 will fly the support personnel to the Gulf, while the Hercules will transport equipment. Both the 727 and Hercules will then return to New Zealand. A second Orion (11 crew) is expected to depart on Saturday. Operation GRIFFIN forces will initially fly to Australia before departing for the Gulf. The exact location in the Gulf is yet to be finalised.