US defense secretary meets Australian counterpart in security forum
(AP)
Updated: 2005-11-18 10:27

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld met his Australian counterpart, Robert Hill, on Friday for talks on the two countries' 54-year-old defense treaty and their joint commitment to the war on terror and campaign in Iraq.

The U.S. State Department's No. 2 official, Robert Zoellick, and Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer also joined the annual talks, held in the southern city of Adelaide amid tight security.

The talks were to cover the continuing insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan and links to terrorism in Southeast Asia.

Rumsfeld earlier said U.S. President George W. Bush wanted to improve Australia's access to Washington's intelligence.

"He is determined we find ways to cooperate with Australia in intelligence-sharing at a new level, and we are doing so," Rumsfeld told The Australian newspaper in an interview published Friday.

Rumsfeld also praised the performance of Australian troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. "They are as competent and capable and well-trained and well-run as any forces there in Iraq," he said.

US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld (R) speaks to Australia's Defense Minister Robert Hill (L) and Foreign Minister Alex Downer before the Australia-US Ministerial Consultations in Adelaide, Australia November 18, 2005. [Reuters]

While Rumsfeld would not be drawn on any timetable for reductions in U.S. troop levels, he said the coalition force would be looking to decrease its footprint in Iraq in the period ahead, the newspaper said.

Downer and Hill on Thursday promised to keep Australian soldiers in Iraq indefinitely.

"Our simple message is that we will retain troops for as long as they can do a useful job in helping the Iraqis," Downer told reporters in his hometown of Adelaide.

Downer and Prime Minister John Howard were singled out in a video message obtained Thursday by AP Television News by a masked man whom police suspected was Malaysian fugitive Noordin Mohamad Top.

Noordin is allegedly a key leader of the al-Qaida-linked group Jemaah Islamiyah, which is accused of orchestrating at least four deadly bombings targeting Westerners in Indonesia.

In the video seized from Noordin's hideout in the Indonesian province of Java, the man threatens the United States, Britain and Australia saying, "You will be the target of our next attack."

"As long as you keep your troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and intimidate Muslim people, you will feel our intimidation and our terror," the man said.

"Especially you," he said, identifying Howard and Downer. "You are bringing all the Australian people to darkness and terrorizing the mujahedeen. ... Remember that."

Howard and Downer both responded to the latest terror threat by vowing that Australia would not be intimidated.