Fed: AWB says giving up veto on wheat contract last resort

AAP General News (Australia)
02-15-2006
Fed: AWB says giving up veto on wheat contract last resort

CANBERRA, Feb 15 AAP - Wheat exporter AWB says it will only give up its power of veto
to allow other Australian companies to compete for a major contract in Iraq as a last
resort.

Australia is sending a delegation to Iraq as soon as possible to talk to the new Iraqi
government about the decision of the Iraq Grains Board to suspend relations with AWB pending
the outcomes of the Cole inquiry.

Prime Minister John Howard told parliament that AWB, which has a monopoly on wheat
exports, would give up its power of veto to allow other Australian companies to compete
for the contract.

But AWB chairman Brendan Stewart, who will take part in a delegation to Iraq, told
reporters he believed there were other options to be explored before going down that path.

Asked if the company was temporarily forgoing its monopoly on wheat exports, Mr Stewart
said: "Absolutely not."

"We've got to get this into perspective, that is a last resort.

"We have said to the prime minister if we have to use that, then we absolutely will,
but we think there are other solutions that can be found."

AAP so/sb/jm/sd

KEYWORD: AWB STEWART

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