The New Zealand foreign minister, Murray McCully, says officials will explore how they can shape closer economic ties with New Caledonia.
Mr McCully was speaking after meeting New Caledonian leaders at the end of a business-focused Pacific tour.
He says New Caledonia's status poses challenges.
"And we are going to encourage our officials to engage in some discussion. Now this is complicated here by the fact that this is obviously covered by EU rules and we are talking about French interests but we want to try and find within the different operating framework that operates here a way forward."
