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New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel will withdraw from Syria this week as the United Nations Supervision Mission (UNSMIS) ends, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully and Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman announced today.

“The UN Security Council’s mandate for the mission expired on 19 August. The UN has indicated it will have all international military observers, including all NZDF personnel, out of Syria by 23 August,” Mr McCully says.

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman says the death of three New Zealand Defence Force staff in Bamyan will come as a deep shock to the nation.

“My immediate thoughts are with the families of these three NZDF soldiers who lost their lives, and the wider NZDF community. It comes as a significant blow after the other casualties our Defence Force suffered on August 4th,” said Dr Coleman.

“The government expresses its sorrow on the deaths of these three soldiers who lost their lives while on active service in Bamyan.”

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman announced today that New Zealander Major-General Warren Whiting has been extended as the Force Commander of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai to March 2014.

“Major-General Whiting has done an exemplary job leading the MFO during a time of unprecedented change in Egypt and the wider region,” said Dr Coleman.

“The importance of the work of the MFO in supporting stability and peace efforts and the leadership of Major-General Whiting is highly valued.”

The new Medal Repository at the National Army Museum in Waiouru has been opened today by the Defence Minister, Dr Jonathan Coleman.

“This new Medal Repository is world-class and displays the medal collection in a fitting, accessible and secure way,” said Dr Coleman.

“It is a tangible memorial to the brave men and woman who served the country in times of war and at the same time tells the stories of the medal recipients,” he said.

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman has offered his condolences to the families of two New Zealand Defence Force soldiers killed in action in Bamyan overnight.

A further six NZDF soldiers were wounded in a clash with insurgents in the North Eastern area of the province, which also involved local security forces.

"The NZDF was responding to local security forces coming under attack and it developed into a serious incident," said Dr Coleman.

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman has announced the NZ Defence Force and Fulton Hogan have signed a deal to help accommodate workers involved in the Christchurch earthquake rebuild.

The NZDF has signed a lease agreement with Fulton Hogan for 42 empty defence houses next to the Burnham Military Camp.

Both organisations have been searching for solutions to the shortage of accommodation to house workers and their families who have relocated to Christchurch to work on the rebuild.

The Minister of Defence has extended his condolences over the death of a New Zealand Defence Force sailor in the Cook Islands.

Able Seaman Combat Specialist William Delamare died in Rarotonga early this morning in a scooter accident while on leave. His ship HMNZS Otago was visiting Rarotonga.

“I wish to extend my condolences to friends and loved ones of William Delamare and also to his crewmates on the Otago,” said Dr Coleman.

“The tragic loss of this young life will be a big shock to all those close to William Delamare.”

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman and US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta today signed the Washington Declaration, a new defence cooperation arrangement, at the Pentagon in Washington DC.

“New Zealand’s relationship with the US has advanced significantly in the last three years, with the signing of the Wellington Declaration in 2010 and Prime Minister John Key’s visit to Washington last year,” Dr Coleman says.

The Minister of Defence is attending the 11th Shangri-La Dialogue being held in Singapore this weekend.

The dialogue has developed into the most prominent meeting for defence ministers, defence officials and security sector experts in the Asia-Pacific region.

Twenty eight countries, including the United States, China, and the United Kingdom are attending this weekend’s summit.

“The dialogue will offer a unique opportunity to meet with a number of my ministerial counterparts, and to discuss key security issues facing the region,” said Dr Coleman

The New Zealand Defence Force is assisting the upcoming June election in Papua New Guinea, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully and Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman announced today.

“Following a request from the PNG government, New Zealand will support the local authorities in the delivery of a safe, free and fair election by providing logistical support and observers,” Mr McCully says.

“We will work alongside the Australian Defence Force which is also assisting in the election process.”

The New Zealand Defence Force is to retain about $142 million a year in operating savings it has freed up to improve its military capability, delivering on the Government’s promise in the Defence White Paper.

The 2010 Defence White Paper signalled that existing Defence Force resources should be redistributed to deliver a well-equipped and modern Defence Force.

By 2014/15, the Defence Force will identify $350 million to $400 million a year in ongoing operating savings that will be retained for redistribution to frontline capabilities.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced further support for international efforts in Syria, including an offer to deploy additional military observers.

New Zealand has offered the UN’s Supervision Mission in Syria a team of five New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel. Should the offer be accepted, the team will replace two NZDF personnel temporarily redeployed to the mission.

Australian Defence Minister Stephen Smith and New Zealand Minister of Defence Dr Jonathan Coleman today reaffirmed their commitment to ANZAC Defence cooperation with the release of the Review into the Australia-New Zealand Defence Relationship.

Anzac Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. Close security cooperation continues to this day with combined operations in the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste.

The Minister of Defence says tomorrow’s Anzac Day commemorations will acknowledge the courage and sacrifices forged by New Zealand and Australian defence staff stretching from Gallipoli 97 years ago to the present day.

This is Dr Coleman’s first Anzac Day as the Minister of Defence and he is especially focused on the ANZAC legacy and the link to the men and women serving New Zealand today.

The Minister of Defence has confirmed two New Zealand Defence Force staff are being offered to the UN Mission in Syria.

The United Nations made an urgent request last week for New Zealand and other countries to consider the immediate and temporary redeployment of UN Military Observers currently deployed with the UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) in the Middle East to join an advance UN monitoring team of up to 30 personnel in Syria.

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman has announced that the New Zealand Defence Force is hosting United States military personnel in an exercise to be held in the central North Island later this month.

35 US Marines and 41 US Army personnel will participate alongside New Zealand forces in Exercise Alam Halfa starting on 26 April.

The US personnel will exercise with members of the New Zealand Army's 1st Brigade.

The Minister of Defence, Dr Jonathan Coleman, says he is saddened to learn of the death today of a New Zealand soldier serving with the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan.

The death was not the result of a combat operation and does not appear to involve the actions of another party.

The government offers its condolences to the man’s family and loved ones.

Dr Coleman says the New Zealand Defence Force will provide more information tomorrow.

The Minister says an appropriate investigation will be held into the matter.

The Minister of Defence, Dr Jonathan Coleman, today formally acknowledged the contribution of the New Zealand Special Air Service Regiment in Afghanistan as the two-and-half year deployment comes to an end.

The NZSAS were posted to Afghanistan in September 2009 – the fourth deployment of the unit to Afghanistan. This current mission officially ceased on 31 March, 2012.

“The New Zealand Government deployed NZ Defence Force personnel to Afghanistan to help ensure Al Qaeda could not maintain safe havens in Afghanistan from which to plan further attacks.”

The Minister of Defence, Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman, has formally thanked the RNZAF for its 75 years of service to New Zealand.

A function in Parliament tonight was the first event to commemorate the 75 years since the RNZAF became an independent armed service.

“It has been 75 years of a job well done and worthy of recognition,” said Dr Coleman.

“Throughout its history the RNZAF has contributed to the maintenance of peace; either through allied contributions in wartime, or to peacekeeping throughout the world.”

Defence Minister, Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman, is spending today and tomorrow visiting several New Zealand Defence Force bases.

The base visits allow him to meet personnel of different ranks, meet different units, and be briefed on the capabilities of assorted defence equipment.

The Minister is visiting the Ohakea Air Force base this morning, the Linton Army Camp this afternoon, and the Burnham Army Camp tomorrow.

Tomorrow evening Dr Coleman will also speak at the 75th anniversary of the RNZAF function being held at the Beehive.

The Defence Minister, Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman, officially welcomed the first of the Air Force’s new medium utility NH90 helicopters at an event in Wellington today.

The NH90 helicopters will be the most advanced and capable helicopter the Air Force has ever had,” said Dr Coleman.

“The NH90s will considerably improve the Defence Force’s ability to conduct military, counter-terrorism, disaster relief, search and rescue, and other operations,” he said.

A ceremony to rebury the remains of a New Zealand soldier was held at Messines Ridge British Cemetery near Ieper, Belgium on Friday 3 February.

The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Defence, Dr Jonathan Coleman, the Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General Rhys Jones, the Secretary of Defence, John McKinnon, the New Zealand Ambassador (Belgium), Vangelis Vitalis, and the Head of Defence Staff, New Zealand High Commission Brigadier Antony (Lofty) Hayward.

Australian Defence Minister Stephen Smith today met with New Zealand’s newly appointed Minister of Defence Dr Jonathan Coleman for the Ministers’ first formal bilateral meeting.

The meeting was held in Melbourne in conjunction with the annual Australia-New Zealand Leaders’ Meeting between Prime Ministers and senior Cabinet Ministers today.

The Ministers announced a new Australia-New Zealand Defence Relationship Framework, which builds on the ANZAC tradition and the longstanding comprehensive defence relationship between Australia and New Zealand.

The Minister of Defence is attending defence talks in Europe next week after the bilateral meeting with the Australian Defence Minister and attending the joint Australian New Zealand Cabinet meeting in Melbourne this weekend.

On Sunday evening Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman will travel to London to meet defence leaders and to hold talks related to his State Services portfolio.