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NZ Peacekeeping Force Finds Hard to Sustain Presence in E. Timor
New Zealand's chief of Defense Force said Thursday in Wellington that the armed forces will find it increasingly difficult to sustain an ongoing presence in East Timor unless the New Zealand government decides to expand the land forces, according to a press release from the New Zealand Parliament.
New Zealand has maintained a battalion of 600 soldiers in East Timor, deployed mainly on the border with West Timor, for just over one year.
A third rotation of New Zealand peacekeepers is in the process of being deployed and will remain there until next May.
Air Marshall Cary Adamson told a select committee of the parliament that the government is considering approving a fourth battalion rotation and looking at the possibility of a fifth but he said it would be difficult for the armed forces to go beyond that.
He said New Zealand could maintain troops in the field at present levels for another 18 months but they might experience problems after that unless the government decides to expand the land forces.
Air Marshall Adamson told the committee that the difficulty with continuing the deployment is keeping the armed forces training and skill levels in other areas up to scratch.
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