Australian PM to visit US, Britain in July
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-06-25 20:35

Australian Prime Minister John Howard said he will visit the United States and Britain in July, his first official trip to Canberra's key Iraq war allies since the leaders of all three countries were re-elected in a series of polls beginning last October.

Howard said he would meet US President George W. Bush while in Washington from July 15-19 and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London from July 20-24.

Howard said both visits would provide the opportunity to discuss efforts to combat terrorism and the countries' shared commitment to rebuilding Iraq.

Picture dated September 2004 shows Australian Prime Minister John Howard during a campaign rally in Melbourne. Howard said he will visit the United States and Britain in July. [AFP/File]

"These visits will provide important opportunities to advance Australia's foreign and trade policy interests with the leaders of these two key allied countries, both of whom have been re-elected in recent months," Howard said in a statement on Friday.

Despite predictions the US-led Iraq war could damage their election prospects, Howard was returned to power last October, Bush last November and Blair on May 5.

Howard said while in Washington he would also meet US Vice President Dick Cheney and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Aside from terrorism and Iraq, Howard said discussions would touch on regional security issues such as North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

He will also promote business opportunities presented by the recently-completed US-Australia free trade agreement and push for meaningful reform at the World Trade Organisation ministerial meeting in Hong Kong in December.

Howard said his British trip would include meetings with Queen Elizabeth II and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw.

Australia has about 900 military personnel in Iraq, down from some 2,000 at the height of the US-led invasion in 2003.

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