CANBERRA, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister John Howard said Thursday that he is confident the United States would not withdraw immediately from Iraq.

    He is responding to the claim of Australian Labor Party, the country's largest opposition party, that Australia was the only country who does not consider an exit policy from the war-torn Gulf country.

    Labor's claim came after the release of a report overnight, which is produced by a bipartisan panel led by the U.S. Republican former secretary of state James Baker.

    The report said the situation in Iraq is grave and deteriorating and a new approach is needed.

    Howard said he expected the United States to change its tactics in Iraq, but insists that does not mean it is planning a quick exit.

    "I'm quite certain the Americans are going to reorganize their approach in different ways in Iraq but I'm quite certain the bottom line will still be they're not going to precipitately withdraw," he was quoted by Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio as saying.

    Meanwhile, Howard said he would back U.S. talks with Iran and Syria on a strategy for Iraq.

    "I have no objection to and I would support talking to Iran and Syria," he said.

    Australia, a staunch supporter of the U.S.-led war on terror, currently maintains around 1,400 troops in and around Iraq.

    The Australian government has been facing more and more domestic pressure on withdrawing from Iraq since the United States is allegedly considering an exit policy.

    But Canberra has been insisting that Australia will only withdraw troops from Iraq when Iraqi forces can take over the country's security.