Ambassador denies US poll pressure

By Alison Rehn

THE US was not trying to influence the outcome of the Australian election, US Ambassador to Australia Tom Schieffer said yesterday.

Appearing before a Senate inquiry into Australia-US defence relations, Mr Schieffer rejected claims US President George W. Bush tried to influence the outcome when he told Australian journalists that pulling troops out of Iraq would have disastrous consequences.

Opposition Leader Mark Latham has repeatedly called for the troops to come home before Christmas.

"If you’re referring to the comments the President made in the Rose Garden ... I think that you have to understand - that’s the only answer the President of the United States could have given," Mr Schieffer said.

"I don’t think that it was an attempt to try to influence the Australian election."

Mr Schieffer said there was a hope that Australia and the US would always be strongly aligned, but there was a realisation each country had to make decisions based on their own national interests.

"I think it would be unfortunate if somehow the alliance were downgraded.

"It is terribly important to the security of both of our countries and I think it is important for us to enhance our co-operation and not diminish it."

Mr Schieffer urged countries around the world to band together to fight the war on terrorism.

"We have to realise that great power conflict may not be the greatest threat to our security," he said.

"Prior to September 11, even though the Soviets had gone away, even though the (Berlin) Wall had come down, we still seemed to think in Cold War terms and after September 11 we realised old foes can be new friends.

"All of us need all the friends we can find in this world. And the more that we can do to enhance friendships, the safer all of us will be."

Mr Schieffer also talked about the merits of setting up a joint military facility on Australian soil where troops from both countries could exercise and train together.

"What we hope to do with regard to Australia is to have a facility that both of us could use for our own advantage."

Although talks are progressing between the US and Australia, no timeline has been set.

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