Australian PM praises Barack Obama´s achievement

Source: Xinhua | 08-29-2008 16:00

CANBERRA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Friday praised the achievement of American presidential candidate Barack Obama who accepted the Democratic US presidential nomination at a mass rally in Denver, Colorado earlier in the day.

Rudd said he had spoken with Senator Obama on the phone last week and described the presidential hopeful, who is seeking to be the first black American in the White House, as "a very warm person".

"I had a conversation with Senator Obama last week and we talked in part about where he'd come from and where he's headed to," Rudd told Fairfax Radio in Brisbane, adding receiving the nomination" is an extraordinary achievement for him as an individual American politician," Rudd said.

The prime minister said they had discussed future plans for the Asia-Pacific region and climate change during the conversation, only the second time the pair had spoken. However, he said Australia would have a good relationship with the next US president, whether it was Senator Obama or Republican nominee John McCain.

"Should he (Obama) win the presidential election I think Australia will have a very good friend in the White House, and if Senator McCain wins ... he knows Australia well as well and we would be well served with that outcome," he added.

Editor:Gao Jia