Auckland, Jan 9 NZPA - The Government is not commenting on a report that the United States ban on military exercises with New Zealand is expected to be dropped.

The announcement is likely to come next week when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific, Kurt Campbell, visit New Zealand, the Weekend Herald reported today.

It would end a ban imposed in 1985 by former US President Ronald Reagan after New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy prevented visits by nuclear armed or powered American military vessels.

The lifting of the ban is not expected to include to a resumption of ship visits.

However, a spokesman for duty minister Pansy Wong said the Government would not comment on the report.

Last year, Mrs Clinton announced a resumption in intelligence-sharing co-operation between the two countries.

Prime Minister John Key has been formally invited twice to Washington by US President Barack Obama, and his visit is likely to happen within the next six months, the Weekend Herald reported.

Mr Key has also been invited to the anti-nuclear proliferation summit of about 40 countries to be hosted in Washington in April by President Obama.

It is believed to be part of a wider foreign policy shift by President Obama, who intends to promote diplomacy and partnership as the basis of his foreign policy.

The public have resented the fact that the ban remained in place while New Zealand troops served in Afghanistan and contributed to the post-invasion effort in Iraq.

It is understood that New Zealand's SAS has been given permission to train with its American counterpart.

Waivers were also needed for the exercises New Zealand has taken part in under the umbrella of the US-led Proliferation Security Initiative, aimed at intercepting the shipment of weapons of mass destruction or material used for making them.

Increased contact between the two countries began during the second-term Government of George W. Bush.

Upcoming talks about the TransPacific Partnership will be high on the agenda of meetings next week with Mr Key and Foreign Minister Murray McCully.

This is a four-country free trade agreement -- started by New Zealand and Singapore -- that is to be expanded to cover four more countries, including the United States.

Meanwhile, New Zealand and the US have agreed to increased cooperation in science and technology research to help improve national security for both countries.

The Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation Contributing to Domestic and External Security Capabilities was signed on Friday in Washington by US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and New Zealand Ambassador to the US Roy Ferguson.

It will see both countries work closely to develop threat and vulnerability analyses and new technologies, and strengthened collaboration on border and transport security and civil defence emergency management, the two governments said in a statement.

"Under the agreement, New Zealand transport security and civil defence emergency management researchers will now benefit from collaborative project work with their US counterparts," Foreign Minister Murray McCully said.

The United States has recently concluded similar agreements with Spain, Germany, France, Israel, Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada.