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NZ, US navies in first joint drill since nuclear-free break

2011-05-13 10:08

WELLINGTON - The New Zealand navy has ended a "milestone" exercise with the US navy in the Pacific Islands.

The multi-role vessel HMNZS Canterbury had been month exercising with the amphibious transport ship, USS Cleveland, for a month in the first naval exercise between the two countries since New Zealand declared it was nuclear free in 1985, New Zealand's TV3 news reported.

A statement from the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) said it was also the first time a New Zealand vessel had hosted command of a US-led exercise.

The two forces were part of Operation Pacific Partnership, a multinational humanitarian aid and disaster relief exercise in Tonga and Vanuatu.

The commanding officer of HMNZS Canterbury, Commander Jim Gilmour, told TV3 it was an historic and special moment when a US Naval flag officer shifted his pennant to a New Zealand ship for the first time.

"It can't be overstated what a big deal that has been for the RNZN, and I can honestly say that this past month has been one of the most satisfying in my career," he said.

A statement from the RNZN said, "The training is a very important milestone between RNZN and USN amphibious forces, and a foundation on which to continue building a valuable working relationship."

New Zealand Defense Force medics, engineers, divers and builders put 8,500 man hours into humanitarian aid tasks on the ground in Niuatoputapu in Tonga and Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu.

A statement from the New Zealand Army said thousands of local people had braved heavy rain to go Luganville Hospital in Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu, to receive free medical and dental care from New Zealand, US, Canadian and Australian forces.

Defense Force personnel had completed far more than their initial tasks and found their own ways to help villagers contribute to their local economies, said the statement.

New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade supported the aid work with 500,000 NZ dollars (396,000 US dollars) in funding from the government aid program.

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