The head of international forces in Afghanistan wants New Zealand troops to stay on longer and Prime Minister John Key says he will consider the possibility.
General Stanley McChrystal, International Security Assistance Force commander, told New Zealand journalists while in Kabul that progress in areas like Bamiyan where New Zealand has 140 personnel was critical to securing peace.
The Government wants to phase out its presence in Afghanistan, with the rotation for the troops in Bamiyan set to end this September and the about 70 Special Air Services in Kabul due to leave in March.
Meeting with Prime Minister John Key, Gen McChrystal did not directly ask for an extension but in an unusual move told reporters that's what he wanted.
"It is something I would like to see. I try to shy away from dealing with the requirements for any country, I think that's for the wider coalition leadership to do. But what I have found is continuity of commitment to the Afghan people is important. First the Afghan people sense it, it gives them a sense of confidence which is very important for the future, but it also gives us a sense of partnership. It makes us more committed to the outcome."
Gen McChrystal met Mr Key on Saturday on the Prime Minister's first day in the country.
"I expressed the value of New Zealand's commitment but it's inappropriate for me to make those kinds of discussions with national leaders."
Gen McChrystal said he valued professionalism and effectiveness of New Zealand troops.
"The forces that New Zealand provides are extraordinarily professional as you well know and they are key members of the coalition."
Having countries like New Zealand part of a coalition of 46 nations removed the idea of an occupation and increased credibility.
The Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT)'s work in Bamiyan was what needed to be replicated around the country, he said.
"In places like Bamiyan the work we're doing, they don't get the headlines because we don't have as many suicide bombs going off or violence in the area, but that's really where we are building the foundation of Afghanistan as we go forward.
"It's areas that are more secure now that we can make real progress in agriculture; where we can get kids in school and we are building the next generation. Those are the areas where we are making progress that I think becomes more durable. Now we will eventually make progress like that everywhere in the country but it will take longer in areas where it is violent now."
Mr Key said the PRT commitment was likely to roll over for another year and then start reducing with more civilians coming in.
"Over time the composition is going to change away from the military capability to a civilian capability and that's the plan. That will be starting in 2011. And that's part of the handing back of control if you like to the people of Afghanistan so there will be a military capability, it might be around 50 people."
The SAS commitment would be looked at. Mr Key was choppered out from Kabul airport to meet the SAS on Saturday.
"The SAS preference would be to have a smaller contingent to stay for a bit longer."
Mr Key said the SAS had recently had a big success uncovering a massive cache of weapons in Kabul including missiles and hand grenades.
"It was a tremendous cache."
However, he would not commit to allowing the contingent to remain.
"We need to wait and see. We've got a lot of domestic commitments with the Rugby World Cup and all sorts of other things... I can certainly understand their point which is they have made strong links they are doing so in actually a very peaceful way, they are working with the Crisis Response Unit, they are working with the Afghan people and they haven't fired their weapons yet.
"I'd consider it. The purpose of being here is to be on the ground, to get an assessment of what I am being told and to go back and relay that to my Cabinet colleagues."