PRIME MINISTER:
I very much welcome the bringing forward of the handover, it was a sensible thing to do given the security position. There's no reason why it shouldn't have taken place a couple of days earlier. I congratulate the people of Iraq for the act of faith in a democratic future that is involved in this historic handover, they will need our help and our support for some time into the future. It's important that the multinational force remain to assist the Iraqi security forces. All of us must recognise that the terrible terrorist attacks and kidnappings and beheadings of the past few weeks are part of a pattern of disruption, all designed to stop Iraq having a democratic future and a crucial battle is being waged at the moment for that future and if it can be secured it could over a long time into the future bring about a great change in the Middle East and a great change for the better.
JOURNALIST:
What does this transition mean for our troops? Does it change their operations there?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, they remain there continuing to do essentially the jobs they've been doing up until now, they remain there at the request and with the approval of the Iraqi government and with the authority of a resolution of the Security Council. If they were asked to leave by the Iraqi Government they would obviously go, but I don't expect for a moment that any such request would be made and indeed the Iraqis have made it very clear that they want our forces to remain and the events of the past 48 hours have demonstrated that not only are they engaged on very important work but they're also engaged on very dangerous work.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, when were you officially made aware of the decision?
PRIME MINISTER:
Colin Powell rang the Foreign Minister today to seek his views and to indicate that the handover was going to take place and Mr Downer indicated as I would have, it was very sensible to bring it forward, it made no sense at all to delay it any longer and there were obviously advantages from security and other points of view in that happening and I thought it was a very sensible thing to do and we readily indicated so.
JOURNALIST:
When are you expecting to speak to the US President about it?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I don't think there's any particular need to talk because we were always going to have a handover and all that's happened is it's happened two days early. And I think that is sensible but it is a significant moment in the country's history and it's important that the people of Iraq be wished well, it's important that the new Prime Minister Dr Allawi be given as much support as possible and I admire the courage of the Iraqi people, they want democracy, they want a hopeful future and we should try and help them receive it.
JOURNALIST:
There was an expectation of an escalation of violence in the lead up to this handover, what do you see now will be the situation? How will it affect the environment?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well my concern remains that the violence will go on, I hope over time that it dissipates but I don't think we should have too many expectations that it's going to dissipate immediately.
Thank you.
[ends]