Post by Walter on Oct 10, 2004 13:55:40 GMT -5
Despite a concentrated effort by John Kerry and his sister Diana to sway the Aussie election to Mark Latham, Howard was successful.
Bush congratulates his good friend Howard
By Connie Levett and agencies
October 11, 2004
Sydney Morning Herald
The United States President, George Bush, has congratulated John Howard for winning a fourth term in government, describing it as a great victory.
Mr Bush, campaigning for his own re-election, telephoned Mr Howard from Air Force One as he flew from St Louis to Iowa.
"I want to congratulate my good friend Prime Minister John Howard, who won a great victory," he said. "Australia is a great ally in the war on terror, and John Howard is the right man to lead that country."
Although the Australian election was fought mainly on domestic issues, Mr Howard's re-election was widely seen outside Australia as the first referendum for leaders of the three principal countries among Mr Bush's "coalition of the willing" that invaded Iraq last year.
Mr Bush faces voters on November 2. Tony Blair, who also telephoned to congratulate Mr Howard, will go to an election next year, most likely in May.
Bill Ramell, the British foreign office minister responsible for relations with the Pacific and Australia, said: "We congratulate Mr Howard on his victory and we look forward to continuing to work closely with his government on our common interests and shared priorities which bring our two countries together."
British newspapers commented on the fact that Mr Howard had received no backlash from his decision to send Australian troops to Iraq.
"The [Australian] result challenges the notion that voters will inevitably punish governments who supported the Iraq war," said Britain's The Observer.
Closer to home, New Zealand's Prime Minister, Helen Clark, said the re-election of the Howard Government meant business as usual, with work continuing on developing a single economic market for the two countries.
Much of the focus in Asia was also on trade. Only Malaysia's leader spoke about the significance of the vote for the war in Iraq.
The Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, said the Howard victory meant Australia would keep its troops in Iraq for the foreseeable future. "That is something that we can expect, because maybe it is a continuation of the same policy," said Mr Abdullah, who chairs the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Conference, and is opposed to foreign troops in Iraq.
A spokesman for the Thai Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, congratulated Mr Howard's government. He said: "We wish the Australian economy goes well because of the two integrated economies."
The Australian elections made it to the front-page of Singapore's The Sunday Times.
And in the Philippines, Max Soliven, veteran journalist and publisher of The Star newspaper, said the result was not a great surprise.
Bush congratulates his good friend Howard
By Connie Levett and agencies
October 11, 2004
Sydney Morning Herald
The United States President, George Bush, has congratulated John Howard for winning a fourth term in government, describing it as a great victory.
Mr Bush, campaigning for his own re-election, telephoned Mr Howard from Air Force One as he flew from St Louis to Iowa.
"I want to congratulate my good friend Prime Minister John Howard, who won a great victory," he said. "Australia is a great ally in the war on terror, and John Howard is the right man to lead that country."
Although the Australian election was fought mainly on domestic issues, Mr Howard's re-election was widely seen outside Australia as the first referendum for leaders of the three principal countries among Mr Bush's "coalition of the willing" that invaded Iraq last year.
Mr Bush faces voters on November 2. Tony Blair, who also telephoned to congratulate Mr Howard, will go to an election next year, most likely in May.
Bill Ramell, the British foreign office minister responsible for relations with the Pacific and Australia, said: "We congratulate Mr Howard on his victory and we look forward to continuing to work closely with his government on our common interests and shared priorities which bring our two countries together."
British newspapers commented on the fact that Mr Howard had received no backlash from his decision to send Australian troops to Iraq.
"The [Australian] result challenges the notion that voters will inevitably punish governments who supported the Iraq war," said Britain's The Observer.
Closer to home, New Zealand's Prime Minister, Helen Clark, said the re-election of the Howard Government meant business as usual, with work continuing on developing a single economic market for the two countries.
Much of the focus in Asia was also on trade. Only Malaysia's leader spoke about the significance of the vote for the war in Iraq.
The Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, said the Howard victory meant Australia would keep its troops in Iraq for the foreseeable future. "That is something that we can expect, because maybe it is a continuation of the same policy," said Mr Abdullah, who chairs the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Conference, and is opposed to foreign troops in Iraq.
A spokesman for the Thai Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, congratulated Mr Howard's government. He said: "We wish the Australian economy goes well because of the two integrated economies."
The Australian elections made it to the front-page of Singapore's The Sunday Times.
And in the Philippines, Max Soliven, veteran journalist and publisher of The Star newspaper, said the result was not a great surprise.