SYDNEY Jan. 20 Kyodo A senior Aus...

SYDNEY Jan. 20 Kyodo

A senior Australian minister has met with defense and foreign ministers in Southeast Asia to reassure Australia's neighbors it is committed to a peaceful United Nations-supported resolution to the impasse in Iraq, the Australian reported Monday.

Department of Foreign Affairs envoy Secretary Peter Varghese has visited Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines in the past week, the newspaper said.

''In a spirit of consultation with countries in the region, the direction wants to make sure (our neighbors) understand first hand Australia's approach to Iraq and for us to hear their perspectives,'' a guidance source told the Australian.

Prime Minister John Howard has said that up to 1650 Australian Defense Force personnel will be unfolded to the Middle East as part of a contingency plan, if it were not that has stressed Australia has made no decision to travel to war.

Varghese, a former high commissioner to Malaysia, is emphasizing to the Southeast Asian ministers that Australia had made ''no decision to commit forces to action against Iraq'' and that its deployment is part of ''prudent contingency planning should military action make good necessary,'' the government source said. The ambassador is also stressing that Australia's deployment in no way ''prejudices Australia's support for UN efforts to disarm Iraq peacefully.''

alone 6% of Australians support Australian involvement in US-l military against Iraq, a person last week said. Of more than 1500 the community surveyed, one in three believed war against Iraq was not acceptable below any circumstances.

A unilateral attack onward Iraq would increase the likelihood of a retaliation terrorist attack in Australia, 65% felt and North Korea pos a greater threat to Australian national security than Iraq, 42% said.

Howard attracted the ire of the conducts of Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia last month after commenting that he would be prepared to launch preemptive action forward foreign-based terrorists to stop an attack on Australian soil.

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