Iraqi ambassador: New Zealand’s training advisers to bring quality

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The quality of New Zealand’s training contribution to the Iraqi armed forces would be a welcome addition to the fight against Isis (Islamic State), Iraq’s ambassador to New Zealand, Mouayed Saleh, said last night.

“We are talking about small but we are talking about quality,” he told the Herald.

“Ten quality military advisers is better [than] 100. You have the quality and that’s why we welcome that.”

He also said the issue of Iraqi troops resenting foreign trainers had been exaggerated.

“We welcome that expertise and that level of calibre of military advisers to come and train our military personnel.

“We have sent some of our military personnel overseas to be trained so having them come to Iraq is really a plus for us. There is not such a thing as resentment.”

Mr Saleh is based in Canberra but was in Wellington to speak on a panel last night at a seminar on Isis.

It confirmed that a non-combat training mission of 143 would be deployed to Iraq for two years, most of them to be stationed at Camp Taji just north of Baghdad and the rest in support around the region.

There is not yet a status of forces agreement between the New Zealand Defence Force and the Iraqi Government setting out the terms, conditions and protections for NZDF personnel but Mr Saleh was confident agreement would be reached.

“It shouldn’t be a problem because we have quite a few models we have already worked out with some other countries. In fact it is going to be a lot easier than the ones we did with other countries.”

Asked whether the SAS may have been of more use to Iraq than non-combat trainers, he said Iraq did not want combat troops.

“We are not allowing international troops to be on the ground. The Iraqi army and volunteers from the Iraqi people are doing the job. We are asking for military advisers to be in the camp, not outside.”

He said the deployment would be “as safe as flying an aeroplane or driving a car”.

“There is risk in everything you do in life but we are doing everything we can in co-operation with the international coalition to give that security for everybody.”

He said Iraq was making progress against Isis – which captured Iraq’s second largest city, Mosul, in June last year.

“We have recaptured so many towns that were under the control of Isis and we are getting closer to the border of Mosul.

“That’s why we are planning and strategising our big attack on Isis and Mosul. There is serious, serious preparation to do that.” /End/