New Zealand has agreed to send a Military Liaison Officer to Iraq, even though this country no longer has troops stationed there.

Prime Minister Helen Clark was quoted by New Zealand TV One News as saying Monday that the move was in response to a United Nations request.

She said the officer would liaise between the UN Mission, the US-led coalition and the interim Iraqi government security forces.

Clark said the deployment underlined New Zealand's support for the UN's involvement in Iraq at a critical time and that it was also an opportunity to give profile to the NZ defense force's peacekeeping activities.

The defense force officer will be deployed for a one year term.