Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

I do remember meeting Mr Flugge at the Ministry of Agriculture in Baghdad at the time, along with the representative from the Interim Governing Council who was looking after agriculture. Because of the efforts of the Australian government, I think that was the first ministry that was up and functioning under the CPA after the war in Iraq. In fact it was noted by the CPA head, Paul Bremer, who said that the Ministry of Agriculture was ‘the first Iraqi ministry building to be functioning and the first to be handed over to the new Iraqi administration’. Australia and its agriculture team in Iraq were congratulated by CPA head, Paul Bremer, on the reconstruction and re-establishment of this critical ministry.

We are proud of what we did as a government and as a nation to help re-establish this country. I conveyed that again to Prime Minister Jaafari and Minister Chalabi in terms of the support we are continuing to give in this fledgling democracy to ensure that it survives.

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