Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari says his country is entering a crucial month and has urged Australia and other western allies not to "cut and run".
During a joint press conference with his Australian counterpart Alexander Downer in Canberra on Monday, Mr Zebari said the Iraqi people's confidence in the security forces was improving.
He said major initiatives to reconcile feuding factions in Iraq were underway, as was a constitutional review.
A law was also being considered on how the country's oil wealth should be shared.
"All this will take place soon," Mr Zebari told reporters.
"And these times are crucial periods for Iraq - this coming month I think.
"And that's why we need our allies to stand with us during these significant times and critical times.
"We all see the pressures building up in Washington in London, in Europe, here, but I think this not a time to cut and run.
"I think this is the time to stand with the people who you helped to liberate and to assist."
Mr Zebari said Iraq had played a key role in organising discussions between the United States, Iran and Syria.
"Because we believe that any regional tension or conflict would adversely affect the political and security situation of my country," the foreign minister said.
There would be a meeting next week in the Iraqi capital to bring the nations together, he said.
"That's why on the 28th there will be a substantive meeting in Baghdad at the level of ambassador and experts between the Americans and Iranians with the presence of Iraqis at these talks," he said.
"We think this is helpful, this is positive and although the situation is difficult, is challenging, but it's not hopeless."
Mr Zebari said he would not (not) be asking Australia to deploy extra troops to Iraq.
"We want to suspend or maintain the current level," he said.
"We should rely on ourselves or depend on ourselves for furthering our military and security capabilities because foreign troops, at the end of the day, one day will leave, so we cannot rely on foreign troops to protect us.
"I think we can defend ourselves provided and given the means and the tools to do."
Mr Zebari is also meeting Australian Defence Minister Brendan Nelson in Canberra.
Mr Downer believes Britain's commitment to Iraq won't change under soon to be British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
"I haven't seen anything coming out of Britain ... that differentiates Gordon Brown's position from that of Tony Blair and in fact only yesterday Gordon Brown re-affirmed his commitment to the democratic government in Iraq and to ensuring Iraq is a successful country," Mr Downer said.
"Although my expectation is that there will be a difference in style in the British government under Gordon Brown from the style we've become so familiar with over the last decade of Tony Blair's, there isn't any indication at this stage that there's going to be substantial policy change and that includes Iraq."
Mr Zebari said Britain played an important role securing democracy for Iraq.
"We understand the realities of British politics and the forthcoming Prime Minister Brown has also been supportive of Iraqi democracy, of the mission and I believe it's very important, there shouldn't be weaknesses within the coalition because these are crucial times."
Mr Zebari said it was unfortunate that the number of foreign troops killed in Iraq had increased in recent times.
"The reason is because they are engaging the enemy in their neighbourhoods," he said.
"They are not sitting back in their barracks to allow those criminal terrorist networks and militias who seek to intimidate people and to deny the public their safety and security."
But, Mr Zebari said, the coalition troops were making real progress.
"Many neighbourhoods in the capital in Baghdad have been cleared, have been brought under control, services have been provided to them in many ways, in terms of electricity, power, garbage collection, fixing the hospitals, the schools, re-opening the banks.
"But this is a process that you cannot see results immediately."
- AAP -
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