German officers will train the unit in Germany and the United Arab Emirates, a spokesman said, confirming a report scheduled to appear in the economic daily Handelsblatt Monday.

The move followed talks between senior defence officials Bruska Shaways for Iraq and Germany's Peter Eickenboom on Thursday and Friday, the spokesman said.

Berlin has already undertaken to train Iraqi police and more than 100 soldiers, notably in the handling of heavy trucks to be provided by Germany along with 25 armoured troop transports.

Handelsblatt said there were also plans to train 25 military officers at Germany's military academy, as well as demining experts, and to supply a mobile field hospital with 30 ambulances.