WELLINGTON, May 26 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark announced Friday morning a contingent will be dispatched to East Timor to maintain the security situation.

    Clark said New Zealand will send an RNZAF 757, a Hercules, and army personnel firstly to Australia. They are due to leave at midday and will be pre-positioned in Townsville before heading to East Timor.

    It was reported that the security situation deteriorated Thursday in Dili, capital of East Timor. Nine unarmed police officers were killed after an attack on the Dili police headquarters.

    The UN said 27 others were wounded, including two U.N. police officers.

    Clark said she has been advised that an intervention force in East Timor is the only viable means of preventing a total descent into civil war.

    She said more New Zealand troops will also be on standby.

    The deployment follows a request from East Timor on Wednesday for international assistance. Enditem