Fed: US strike against Iraq unlikely to be imminent: PM =2

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Fed: US strike against Iraq unlikely to be imminent: PM =2

The prime minister appeared to be at odds with his Foreign Minister Alexander Downer,who yesterday said the risk of a war was very high.

"I am saying there is a very high risk of war. Of course there is. We have been veryfrank with the Australian public about that," Mr Downer said yesterday.

But Mr Howard called for a degree of perspective to be brought to the debate on Iraq.

"I think this whole discussion has got to have a sense of proportion and a sense ofperspective," he said.

"We're not dealing here with a potential world war, we're dealing here with concern,very legitimate concern, about the failure of a country to comply with Security Councilresolutions."

Mr Howard also said critics should remember where the seeds for a possible conflict were sown.

"People should remember that the current situation is that Iraq is in continuing breachof a resolution of the Security Council of the United Nations and this seems to be forgottenin the lather of rhetoric coming from the Greens and others about some hypothetical involvementby Australia," he said.

AAP so/apm

KEYWORD: IRAQ AUST HOWARD 2 CANBERRA