BAGHDAD, July 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Australian Prime Minister John Howard arrived Monday in Baghdad on a surprise visit to meet his Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim al-Jaafari, Iraqi officials said.

    Jaafari's office refused to released further information about meeting, but they confirmed that both of the senior officials had started their talks.

    Australia currently has about 900 troops in Iraq. Howard earlierrefused to put a timetable for the withdrawal of his forces in the war-torn country. Enditem