Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Clark said that would not meet New Zealand's definition of peacekeeping because the group would not be run by the United Nations.

"We would be delighted to assist with UN peacekeeping but at the present time it appears rather unlikely that the UN will be playing that role.

"What we're looking for is the UN to be pro-actively engaged but at this point the UN doesn't have a clear role except for provision of humanitarian relief," she said.

New Zealand has promised 3.3 million NZ dollars (about 1.8 million US dollars) to emergency humanitarian relief in Iraq.

Clark said New Zealand would consider boosting the 3.3 million NZ dollars announced last week once it saw what the needs were of war-torn Iraq.

She told reporters that more cash or "other support as requested" would be considered.

New Zealand would talk to countries like Canada and Norway "as to just what role might best be played and when," Clark said.

She noted Canada's foreign minister had stated it would be appropriate and even preferable that the administration of humanitarian aid, and eventually the reconstruction of Iraq, was done under international auspices.

Concerning the refugees as a result of the war in Iraq, Clark said New Zealand would not be taking more refugees under the UN quota.

"We haven't considered varying the annual total of quota refugees.

"We're not considering increasing either our quota intake or changing criteria. Our expectation would be that at the end of the war probably Iraq would be in a better position to take people home," she said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 24, 2003)