Australian Prime Minister John Howard said on Friday that Australian troops in southern Iraq protecting Japanese troops could stay beyond next May.

The Japanese government decided on Thursday to extend the humanitarian assistance mission by the Ground Self-Defense Force for one year.

The extension plan, however, leaves leeway for an earlier withdrawal depending on some conditions. About 600 Japanese troops are stationed in the southern city of Samawah. Their two-year-old presence there expires Dec. 14.

There are 450 Australian troops in the area to provide security to the Japanese troops, allowing them to undertake reconstruction work. The Australian troops were deployed in May and a second six- month rotation is now in place up to May next year.

Howard said Australian troops would continue to provide protection while Japanese troops remained in Iraq.

"That doesn't mean automatically that the Japanese unit will stay there the entire 12 months," he told Australia's Southern Cross radio.

"They will certainly stay to May and could well stay beyond May. It is unlikely we will be out by May. It is far more likely...and this will depend a great deal on how things unfold, that we will be there for a longer period," he said.

"I have always said this. This is nothing new. I see no point, given the commitment that has been made in Iraq ... at flagging withdrawal at the very time when the government and the people of Iraq need reassurances of support," he said.

Source: Xinhua