Downer denies US pressure on troops

[NVMojo]

23feb05
FOREIGN Minister Alexander Downer today denied the United States pressured Australia into sending more troops to Iraq.

After a request from the British and Japanese governments, Australia is sending another 450 soldiers to Iraq to protect Japanese engineers in the country's south, replacing a Dutch contingent that is withdrawing from Iraq.

The Australians will also help train local security forces.

The decision breaches a government pre-election commitment not to substantially increase troop numbers in Iraq.

But Mr Downer denied that the Government was trying to downplay the role the United States played in its decision to send further troops.

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