Iraqi PM visits Australia

(AAP) Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will meet Australian military personnel on
Thursday as he officially begins a five-day visit to Canberra and Sydney.

The Iraqi leader was due to touch down in the national capital on Wednesday evening
and will be officially welcomed to Australia during a ceremony at Parliament House
on Thursday morning.
He will have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who will host a
dinner for the Iraqi leader at Parliament House on Thursday evening.
The pair will discuss the future of the two countries' relationship as it moves from
a military focus "to a more broad-based engagement".
"The success of Iraq's recent provincial elections in January 2009 is evidence of
growing security and stability in the country," Mr Rudd said.
"Australia is strongly supportive of measures Iraq is taking to strengthen democracy
and welcomes the recent free and fair elections, giving Iraqi citizens a voice in
the future of their country."
Mr Rudd said Australia continued to provide significant development assistance to
Iraq to support its efforts to bring greater prosperity to the Iraqi people.
Mr al-Maliki's visit comes as Australia and other coalition partners mark the sixth
anniversary of the war in Iraq next week.
Australia last year withdrew its combat troops from Iraq and the United States is
accelerating its drawdown of forces.
The United States will pull 12,000 troops out of Iraq by the end of September. A
total US withdrawal is scheduled by the end of 2011.
Mr al-Maliki will visit the Australian War Memorial on Thursday afternoon and is
expected to meet a number of soldiers to thank them for their efforts.
The Iraqi leader will be accompanied by his trade, foreign and industry ministers.
Iraqi Trade Minister Dr Abdel Falah Al-Sudani is due to meet his Australian
counterpart Simon Crean.