Australian troops still needed in Iraq, says Downer

4.00pm

CANBERRA - Australian forces would stay the distance in Iraq despite injuries suffered by three of its troops, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today.

The three Australian military personnel were injured when a terrorist car bomb was detonated as a convoy of Australian Light Armoured Vehicles (LAVs) drove by.

Three Iraqi bystanders were killed and many more injured.

The attack occurred some 300m from the Australian embassy and the Australian security detachment base on the approach to one of the main entries to what's known as the international zone, formerly the green zone.

Mr Downer said he expected violence in Iraq to continue in the lead-up to next January's national elections, and that the Australian government had no intention of withdrawing troops in light of yesterday's attack.

"My assessment is that in the lead-up to the election it's going to be very difficult because ... (terrorists) want to destroy any capacity the Iraqis may have to hold elections," Mr Downer told the John Laws radio program.

"They don't want to see a new democratic liberal government in Iraq - they want to destroy that.

"There's no doubt in my mind that a combination of the forthcoming elections in Iraq and of course, the American elections as well, is going to lead to a very difficult period over the next few months -- I have no illusions about that."

Mr Downer said Australian forces would remain in Iraq until diplomatic personnel no longer needed protection, otherwise the Australian Embassy might have to be closed.

"That would obviously have very significant implications for our interests in Iraq, ranging from our political interests to our very important economic interests," he said.

"Secondly, we have quite a number of troops there who are training the new Iraqi army.

"And it's crucial to train up a new Iraqi army so the Iraqis themselves can take control of security there, rather than the international community having to carry so much of the burden."

Mr Downer said he could not dismiss a claim made by a group loyal to al-Qaeda linked militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi on an Islamist website that Australian vehicles were specifically targeted in yesterday's attack.

He said it was interesting to note that media had been present at the bomb site within two minutes of the blast, and that he would be looking into whether there had been a tip-off in advance of the attack.

Mr Downer said he expected the Australian Embassy to shift to its new, safer location sometime early next year.

- AAP