Australia PM tells Iraq's Maliki to speed reform

CANBERRA, Aug 11 (Reuters) Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has been told by his Australian counterpart John Howard to pick up the pace of political reform or face a possible troop withdrawal by Australia and other US-led coalition members.

Howard, who faces re-election within months with voter opposition building to the Iraq war, wrote to Maliki last week warning that without faster progress, support for Australia's 1,500-strong deployment may not be sustainable, according to a report in the Weekend Australian newspaper.

Howard told Maliki ''prompt, concrete measures are needed not only to secure Iraq's future, but also to ensure regional stability and continued constructive international engagement''.

Australia, a close US ally, was an original member of the coalition during the 2003 invasion, sending around 2,000 troops in a decision that sparked the biggest anti-war protests in the country since the Vietnam conflict.

Howard, in a letter which the Weekend Australian said implied US public support would falter as well without signs of political progress, told Maliki to also speed the sharing of oil wealth among all sections of the Iraqi community, including the minority Sunni population.

Howard reaffirmed his government's support for Australia's military deployment to Iraq, telling Maliki the commitment was based ''not on a timetable, but on security conditions and capabilities of the Iraqi security forces''.

US President George W Bush, who in early September will receive a report from his Baghdad commander, General David Petraeus, on the reinforcement of American forces in Iraq, has also warned Maliki against closer relations with Iran.

Howard, who will hold talks on Iraq with Bush at an Asia-Pacific leaders summit in Sydney the week before the Petraeus report, told Maliki to use the opportunity provided by the US troop surge to take specific and speedy action.

The letter underscored Howard's growing frustration with the Iraq war when surveys show as many as 80 per cent of Australian voters did not support it.

Howard his lagging badly in polls with reports this week tipping an election in November.

REUTERS RC RAI0712