Helen Clark Must Confirm Troop Involvement
Friday 15 Mar 2002 Richard Prebble Press Releases -- Foreign Affairs & Defence
ACT Leader Prebble said today that Helen Clark must confirm whether the information on the White House website about the
number and operational details of New Zealand troops in Afghanistan is correct.
"The Prime Minister's official stance that the New Zealand Government never gives out such details is just incorrect.
"It's absurd that the public is learning about the deployment of New Zealand troops from the White House website,
German tabloid newspapers and statements in the Australian media.
"Nobody is asking Helen Clark to make any statement that might put New Zealand troops at risk. But unless Al Qaeda has
infiltrated New Zealand, it's unlikely that a statement from the Prime Minister confirming the White House information
is correct would even be read by Osama Bin Laden in his very deep cave," Mr Prebble said.
For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at
act@parliament.govt.nz.