N.Z. troops to stay.

Press, 26 February 1980, Page 6

N.Z. troops to stay.

PA Wellington The Government had agreed to a British request that the New Zealand force monitoring the cease-fire in Rhodesia stay on for a few days after this week’s elections, said the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) yesterday. “It is only a matter of three or four days by the look of it,” he‘ said after the Cabinet had made the decision. Mr Muldoon said the British Government had asked for the New Zealanders to ■ stay longer to try to avert confusion and difficulties during the. period between the election and the announcement of the results. The New, Zealand force was not qualified either by training or the nature of its equipment to take on a peacekeeping role in Rhodesia, he said. The New Zealanders,

who had been due to leave for home on March 2, would now stay until about March 5 or March 6. It had been intended to send a Royal New Zealand Air Force Hercules Transport to Salisbury today to pick up the troops, but this would be delayed, Mr Muldoon said. The Government would try. to co-ordinate their departure with the Australians, who helped to fly the New Zealanders to Rhodesia.

But if the Australians stayed on, as reports have suggested, commercial aircraft would be used to bring the New Zealanders home, Mr Muldoon said.

Australia’s 200-man contingent could stay in Rhodesia for up to a month after the election. The contingent would stay no longer than that, Australian officials said, accord-

ing to the London “Sunday Times” newspaper. According to the “Observer” newspaper, the British Foreign Secretary, (Lord Carrington) has met a lot of opposition to his proposal to extend the British presence.

It said that Lord Soames had reported on two main risks ahead.

The first was the possibility of a military coup if Robert Mugabe emerged as the prospective prime minister... J

A second threat was said to be posed by the reported South African plan to intervene in certain circumstances, under the pretext of rescuing white Rhodesians. From Salisbury, the “Observer” reported that Lord Soames would like the authority to order a phased withdrawal, leaving some monitoring units in camps where their safety was assured.