BAGHDAD, July 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Australian Prime Minister John Howard, who arrived in Baghdad on Monday to pay a surprise visit,pledged his country's support to Iraq.

    

Australian Prime Minster John Howard talks with Australian soldiers in the green zone in Baghdad July 25, 2005.(Xinhua/AFP photo)

In his second visit to Iraq since the US-led invasion in 2003, Howard met his counterpart Ibrahim al-Jaafari for half an hour.

    "We want Iraq to be free, independent and strong," Howard told reporters, adding "We want Iraqis to run their country's affairs and see our role as an assistant to the people of Iraq and the Iraqi government toward achieving that goal."

    "We want to see in the future a strong economic and political relationship with Iraq," Howard said after his meeting with Jaafari.

    For his part, Jaafari praised the Australian troops in Iraq,saying "the Australian troops are backing the security process in the southern city of the Al-Muthana and are playing a veryimportant role."

    He also hailed Australia's contribution to Iraq, saying that their talks focused on the training of the Iraqi forces and the improvement of living conditions for the Iraqi people.

    Australia currently has about 900 troops in Iraq.

    Howard had earlier refused to put a timetable for the withdrawal of Australian troops from Iraq. Enditem