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Friday, May 07, 2004

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International

Howard slams treatment of Iraqi prisoners

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE, MAY 6. The Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, has `unconditionally' condemned the `appalling' treatment of some Iraqi prisoners at the hands of the U.S. military personnel. He did not, however, support the call for an independent inquiry. He ruled out any withdrawal of the Australian troops from there.

Mr. Howard told journalists in Canberra today that he believed "very strongly that (U.S.) President Bush and the (Defence) Secretary Rumsfeld would be as appalled by it as I am''. It was "important the people responsible be pursued and prosecuted in accordance with the law,'' Mr. Howard maintained.

Saying he was "not the President of the United States,'' he declined to endorse suggestions for an independent probe.

Expressing `regret' over the cruel handling of the Iraqi prisoners, he said "that is no part, as far as I'm concerned, of the behaviour that I know to be the norm of American military personnel.''

About the calls in Australia itself for a pullout of its troops from Iraq, Mr. Howard said: "I believe very strongly that we have to stay in Iraq and finish the job (there, as a U.S. ally).

I'll continue to argue that proposition, irrespective of what the opinion polls may say now or in the future. . If the (U.S.-led) coalition is successful militarily and politically over the next two months, and that includes the continuation of the progress towards a hand-over (of sovereignty to the Iraqis) on the 30th of June... it will be very good for the Iraqi people and it will be very good for the fight against terrorism.

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