New Australian Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd on Tuesday said withdrawal of troops from Iraq would take place in consultation with the United States if Labor wins office at the federal election next year.

Rudd, who last week defeated Kim Beazley to be the new leader of the Labor party, Australia's largest opposition party, made the statements in Australia's northeastern city of Townsville as part of his nationwide tour.

He said Australian troops in Iraq would be recalled if Labor wins office at the next federal election, but the withdrawal of troops would take place in consultation with the United States.

"If I'm elected as prime minister of Australia our existing combat deployment would be withdrawn - and, on the timetabling of that, we would do so in deep consultation with our American ally, as I have always said," Rudd was quoted by Australian Associated Press as saying.

"That's the responsible course of action," he said.

"When it comes to our policy on Iraq it's clear cut - we believe the existing Australian combat deployment must come to a close," he added.

"But we've always said that must be done with the consultation of our allies. We're not about to leave people in the immediate lurch," he said.

Australia, a staunch supporter of the U.S.-led war on terror, currently maintains around 1,400 troops in and around Iraq.

The Australian government has been facing more and more domestic pressure, including from the Labor party, on withdrawing from Iraq since the United States is allegedly considering an exit policy.

Canberra has been insisting that Australia will only remove troops from Iraq when Iraqi forces can take over the country's security.

Source: Xinhua