US-Australia military campaign deal continues

Sydney, Jun 25: The assurance that Australia will continue to support the military campaign in Afghanistan came from Julia Gillard to US President Barack Obama on her very first day as the first female Australian PM.

She assured Obama that Australia's approach toThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) led coalition's campaign would be the same as it was under former Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd.

"We spoke about of course the cost that this course is costing our nations; we have seen the loss of life to Australian soldiers," said Gillard

The new Prime Minister held her first cabinet meeting on Friday, Jun 25 with ministers, who still remain in the roles they held under Rudd.

"On that basis, of course, Kevin Rudd will not be in today's cabinet meeting; we will make new ministerial arrangements, I am working on those arrangements now and I will announce them in due course," Gillard added.

"I want to make sure Australians get a fair share of our mineral wealth but we want to genuinely negotiate," said Gillard .

Gillard also had a telephonic conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper for failing to attend the planned G-20 meeting in Toronto.

ANI