Australian PM flies to UK

Friday, 7 November 2003 12:00 AM

Australian Prime Minister John Howard will arrive in the UK for official talks with Tony Blair on the situation in Iraq.

Opposition leader Simon Crean is also flying with John Howard.

Mr Howard will discuss the fight against global terrorism in a series of exchanges until November 13th.

Australia has a large interest in keeping the peace in Iraq as the Commonwealth country contributed over 900 soldiers to the US-led effort to oust Saddam Hussein from power.

The two leaders will also discuss ways to boost bilateral trade and investment.

The leaders will also inaugurate the Australia-UK Leadership Forum, to boost business between the two countries.

Prior to the long flight, Mr Howard said a shared emphasis on "common values and common practices" undergirded the good relations between the countries.

Mr Howard is set to meet the secretary-general of the Commonwealth, Don McKinnon, to prepare for this year's heads of government meeting in Abuja.

On November 11th, Mr Howard is to mark the 85th anniversary of the Armistice of World War One with the dedication at the Australian War Memorial in London's Hyde Park.

There he will honour the 100,000 Australians who served with the British in both world wars.

The Queen and Mr Howard will unveil the memorial just after the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month - the moment when the fighting stopped in Europe, ending the Great War.

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