“Allegations on Radio New Zealand that the Head of the Prime Minister’s Department and Secretary of Foreign Affairs agreed in Washington to the leaking of information about the deployment of SAS forces are absolutely untrue” says Minister of Foreign Affairs, Phil Goff.

“The two senior officials who visited Washington in preparation for the Prime Minister’s visit neither authorised nor concurred with the leaking of any information about the deployment of New Zealand’s Special Forces.

“To the contrary, both specifically indicated in discussions with US administration officials that information about deployment of the SAS is and always has been kept confidential.

“This policy was at the request of the SAS and the New Zealand Defence Force to ensure the security of operations and the safety of personnel.

“New Zealand ministers and officials respected that request”, Mr Goff said.

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