6. KEITH LOCKE (Green) Link to this
to the Minister of Defence
Was he briefed as to the presence of United States personnel at the Provincial Reconstruction Team base in Bamiyan and their duties; if so, what are the duties of the United States personnel at Bamiyan?
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP (Minister of Defence) Link to this
I am well aware of the presence of the United States personnel at the provincial reconstruction team base in Bamian as, in fact, I have seen some of them at the base on the two occasions on which I have visited. As Mr Vernon Small noted in the Dominion Post last Friday, this is, in fact, no secret. A number of personnel from other countries also currently use the base, including Malaysia, which has the largest contingent, the United States, and the European police contingent. Singapore has been a partner in the past. In relation to the second part of his question, the United States personnel are involved in many different duties, ranging from supporting military operations through to Department of State personnel supporting aid and infrastructure projects and civilian contractors involved in local facilities maintenance.
Prior to the recent articles of Vernon Small, did the New Zealand Defence Force ask media it facilitated going to Bamian not to report the presence of United States personnel and their role; if so, why?
Are any New Zealand Defence Force personnel at Bamian required to report to United States personnel?
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP Link to this
New Zealand Defence Force personnel are accountable to the New Zealand Defence Force and our command system, and that is exactly what I would expect.
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. The Minister said that the New Zealand Defence Force reports to New Zealand command, but the Minister did not answer my—
Mr SPEAKERIf the Minister’s answer was not no, then the Minister had better correct my understanding of his answer.
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP Link to this
I would also add that there is obviously a certain sharing of information between New Zealand and the United States, but the accountability is, in fact, to the New Zealand Defence Force.
Are the United States personnel based at Bamian collecting intelligence to help the United States fight the wider war in Afghanistan?
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP Link to this
The NATO International Security Assistance Force mission is, in fact, a coalition operation, and clearly all the partners are engaged in sharing information relevant to the overall operation.
Does the Minister not think that this conflicts with the Defence Force public relations statement back on 15 July 2003 that the provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan is “not going to war”, and that its “focus … is on reconstruction”?
I seek leave to table chapter 17, headed “Bamiyan”, of Nicky Hager’s Other People’s Wars, which is subtitled “Public relations vs reality at the Kiwi base”.