N.Z. troops off to Zimbabwe today

Press, 4 December 1979, Page 2

N.Z. troops off to Zimbabwe today

Parliamentary reporter An advance party of New| Zealand troops for the combined monitoring force in (Zimbabwe Rhodesia will j leave New Zealand today, land the bulk of the 74-man 'contingent will leave as soon; as settlement is reached in (the London talks. Formal approval for sending the troops was given at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting? (" Most of the force of officers and N.C.O.s will travel by an R.N.Z.A.F. Her-; cules to South Africa on their way to Rhodesia and a small group will travel by Royal Australian Air Force, transport. This was announced by (the Prime Minister (Mr Mui(doon) at a press conference. (He said the force had been| (chosen and was ready to go las suon as final details of the i election timetable and monitoring force responsibilities (were settled in London at the British-sponsored conference between representatives of the Zimbabwe (Rhodesian Government and (the Patriotic Front. j “That could be at any time (within the next 24 hours or (perhaps later depending on (whether there are any fur-1 (ther difficulties,” he said. I Mr Muldoon said that reports from London last week, (in which a representative of the Patriotic Front was /quoted as saying that flew; 'Zealand had been a supporter of the Government of Bishop

■Abel Muzorewa, and there-’ 'fore was not regarded fav-. jourably by the front, had been clarified. The statement had been' made on the basis of hearsay and the Front’s repre-; sentatives had sought confirmation that such support, had been given. “If he can’t find it then, he’s going to publicly re-! tract this allegation,” said’ Mr Muldoon, adding that no statement of support had! been given. “They are interested in the fact that they are talking about too many white faces (in the monitoring force). “It appears that 30 per! .cent of the New Zealand con-! tingent will in fact be Maoris. In conversation, the! Patriotic Front thought this iwas not a bad idea, they were apparently somewhat impressed by that,” Mr Mui-, doon said. The Front has now withdrawn any objections it had, to New Zealand's participation in the monitoring force.! “On discussion it turns out! that the objection to New! Zealand was based on something that didn't happen. So! they're pretty relaxed about! • it now.” H' did not know yet where' in Zimbabwe Rhodesia the New Zealanders would be posted. Part of the costs of the; New Zealand force would be; met by New Zealand — pay; and transport for instance — but provisioning would be.

met by the British. Australian, Fijian and New Zealand troops would go by: way of South Africa because | it was the easiest way to -go,! said Mr Muldoon. They could; not go by way of Lusaka.; for instance, because of the difficulty in refuelling. The force is expected to be in Zimbabwe Rhodesia about four months but the time would depend on final details for the election still to be worked out in London. The advance party will include the commander of the New Zealand element, Lieu-tenant-Colonel D. Maloney, and three others. Colonel Maloney is a former commanding officer of the Second/1 R.N.Z. Infantry, Regiment and a former direc-! tor of public relations for the (Ministry of Defence.