Australians Told: Leave Iraq ASAP
Warning comes just weeks after Canberra said it would support U.S. attack

July 25, 2002

A spokeswoman for Foreign Affairs and Trade also urged Australians to avoid visiting Iraq as the US prepares to widen its war on terrorism to the region.

The official warning comes just weeks after the Australian Government indicated it would support a US-led attack on Iraq.

The warning came as Trade Minister Mark Vaile said Iraq's threat to halve Australian wheat imports may be partly due to good domestic production forecasts. Australia, on the other hand, was heading rapidly towards a drought that would cut wheat and other crop production, he said.

Iraq has threatened to halve imports of Australian wheat in protest against the Government's support of possible US military strikes against Iraq.

Prime Minister John Howard repeated the Government's stand, saying Iraq's threats would not dictate Australian foreign policy.

"We can't really allow ourselves to be told what our foreign policy might be in the future as a condition of people taking our exports," he said on radio yesterday.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,4769677%
255E662,00.html