NEW Zealand could resume cricket tours to Zimbabwe next year after a high-level meeting between government officials, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said on Tuesday.

New Zealand postponed their July 2009 tour to the southern-African country on security grounds and after Prime Minister John Key had said his government did not support Robert Mugabe's regime.

Last year, NZC said they would monitor the situation with an eye to travelling to Zimbabwe for a one-day series this month.

On Tuesday, however, the board said they would look to visit Zimbabwe in May 2011 after a meeting between NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan and Zimbabwe Sports Minister David Coltart, who had earlier met his counterpart Murray McCully.

"I am aware that the Minister for Sport and Recreation, Murray McCully, had a positive meeting with Mr Coltart in Wellington earlier this week," Vaughan said.

"It is clear from that meeting that our government's position is that they would not oppose the Black Caps touring Zimbabwe next year.

"It is important to stress that any tour by New Zealand cricket teams to Zimbabwe would need to be prefaced by full safety and security checks, which are standard practice for New Zealand Cricket." - Reuters