Governor-general visits troops in Mid East

The governor-general has thanked Australian troops for their service to the nation during a two-day visit to the Middle East.

Peter Cosgrove has met with defence force personnel involved in Iraq and the wider Middle East region during a visit to Australia's main base in the United Arab Emirates.

He also laid a wreath at a memorial for the 41 Australian soldiers killed on duty in Afghanistan.

The governor-general then travelled to Afghanistan where he met the country's newly-elected president Ashraf Ghani, met with Australian troops and opened a new building at the embassy compound in Kabul.