WASHINGTON (AP) — Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd met Monday with President Barack Obama and said his country will stand by the United States in the war in Afghanistan.
Rudd's visit came a day before Obama was expected to announce an increase of up to 35,000 U.S. troops as part of a revised strategy for the war. Australia has about 1,550 troops in Afghanistan, the largest contribution of any country outside of NATO.
"Australia takes its alliance with the United States very seriously," Rudd told reporters at the State Department ahead of a meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. "That's why we have been with America for a long time in Afghanistan, and why we will be with America for the long haul."
Before traveling to Washington, Rudd was asked by reporters in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, about whether Australia would commit more troops to Afghanistan.
Rudd said Australia boosted its troop commitment earlier this year. "As I've said consistently in Australia since then, we would believe our troop commitment is about right. And my view on that hasn't changed," Rudd said.
Rudd also had a warning Monday for the world ahead of global climate talks in Denmark.
"When it comes to climate change, the clock's ticking for us all," Rudd said. "We're working closely with our American friends to secure the best possible outcome for an important deal for the planet, for our economies, for jobs, for the environment."
Rudd's government wants to slash Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by up to 25 percent below 2000 levels by 2020 if tough global targets can be agreed upon at the Copenhagen summit.
