在线国产一区二区_成人黄色片在线观看_国产成人免费_日韩精品免费在线视频_亚洲精品美女久久_欧美一级免费在线观看

  Home>News Center>World
         
 

Australia sends team to Iraq
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-09-15 14:17

Australia, unable to verify a report that two of its citizens had been taken hostage in Iraq, said on Wednesday it had sent a logistics team to the country and still was trying to account for all of its nationals there.

More than 36 hours after the original report based on a type-written statement issued in southern Iraq, Australia had had no further word. Groups that seize foreigners in Iraq usually provide some evidence to identify the people they are holding.
While saying the hostage-taking claim could be a hoax, Australian officials on Tuesday activated a contingency plan which included putting hostage negotiators on standby.

A logistics team also flew out of the western city of Perth on Tuesday but Foreign Minister Alexander Downer denied a report in The Australian newspaper on Wednesday that it was a team of 12-30 elite SAS soldiers.

"They're people just to assist on the ground, they're not SAS soldiers or ... storm troopers or anything," Downer said.

In the statement distributed on Monday in Samarra, a rebel stronghhold north of Baghdad, a group calling itself the Iraqi Islamic Secret Army said the Australian hostages would be killed unless Prime Minister John Howard announced the withdrawal of Australia's 850 troops from in and around Iraq within 24 hours.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs said it had so far accounted for 221 Australians out of a possible 229 citizens in Iraq.

Downer earlier said that the likely numbers of Australians in Iraq were "a moveable feast" but added he could not rule out the possibility Australians had been taken hostage.

He said the embassy had also been in contact with 14 security firms working in Iraq. "None of those security firms have any knowledge of anybody being taken hostage," he said.

Howard said he was guardedly optimistic the claim would turn out to be a hoax.

"I suppose as each hour goes by, you grow cautiously more hopeful but I don't think we should think that it still may not be true," Howard told Australian radio.

Australia's role in the US-led war in Iraq has become an important issue in an Oct. 9 election, with opposition Labor saying in the past it wants the troops home by Christmas if it wins office.

Howard's conservative government is adamant the troops will remain as long as they are needed.

Australia's election has attracted international attention because it precedes two others likely to be fought largely on security and the war on terror + the US presidential vote on Nov. 2 and a British election expected in May or June.

Australia's Labor opposition was angry that it was not consulted before the logistics team left on Tuesday, claiming it was a breach of caretaker provisions which require the opposition to be consulted on all major initiatives before an election.

"I have no idea as to why the defence team's being sent, it's purpose," Latham told Australian radio.

"... if we were to win this election in three-and-a-half weeks time we'd be in charge of the operation," he said.

Australia angered Spain and the Philippines in July when it accused them of encouraging terrorists by pulling their troops out of Iraq. The Philippines brought their troops home early to save the life of a Filipino hostage.

Downer stressed that the hostage negotiating team being put on stand-by did not signal a change in Australian policy.

"We would do everything we possibly could to get Australians released, short of giving in to blackmail," he said.



 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

US Congress resolution on HK strongly opposed

 

   
 

Hu: Western systems a "dead end" for China

 

   
 

China pushes for talks on Korean issue

 

   
 

Financial criminals get tough penalty

 

   
 

CPC enhances fight against corruption

 

   
 

Blood reserve growing in quality, quantity

 

   
  Insurgents target Iraqi police; 59 dead
   
  US, Europe differ on Iran strategy
   
  1.2 million flee New Orleans ahead of Ivan
   
  Pakistan parliament approves nuclear controls bill
   
  Turkey backs off plan to outlaw adultery
   
  Pentagon delays MDS test, again: report
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  News Talk  
  Are the Republicans exploiting the memory of 9/11?  
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 国产伦精品一区二区 | 麻豆chinese新婚xxx| 亚洲日本中文字幕 | 黄色成年人视频 | 韩国精品一区 | 色妞综合网| 91精品国产成人www | 日韩一区二区三区免费 | 久久xxx| 中文字幕在线观看第一页 | av免费观看在线 | 国产无遮挡又黄又爽免费网站 | 精品视频免费 | 欧美日韩第一区 | 久久精品一区二区三区四区 | 国产精品国产 | 天天草天天草 | 亚洲黄色大片 | 亚洲精品欧美 | 国产三级成人 | 午夜精品久久久久久久久久蜜桃 | 日本毛片在线观看 | 一道本av| 深夜福利视频网站 | 日韩中文字幕一区二区三区 | 亚洲第一第二区 | 91片黄在线观看动漫 | 日韩精品免费观看 | 欧美日韩精品 | a级片在线免费观看 | 亚洲成人精品在线观看 | 亚洲精品第一 | 一区二区久久 | www国产精品| 国产在线视频一区二区 | www.久久爱| 国产欧美精品一区二区三区 | 中文字幕免费高清 | 日韩 国产 欧美 | 激情福利视频 | 免费黄色一级视频 |