PM arrives in Australia

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki arrived in Australia on Wednesday, leading a high-profile delegation, including Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Trade Minister, Abdul Falah al-Sudani and Industry Minister, Fawzi al-Hariri, and a number of officials, al-Iraqia satellite television said in Urgent. The premier had left Baghdad on Tuesday (March 10) for Australia to discuss a number of issues of common concern, mainly ways of cooperation in the agricultural field. The premier will discuss political and economic files as well as the agricultural initiative. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had launched an initiative to enhance the agricultural sector in the country in July 2007. The initiative should set a time frame of 10 years for Iraq to reach the state of self-sufficiency in strategic crops. SH (P) 1