Australian PM congratulates Obama on killing of bin Laden
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Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Saturday phoned U.S. President Barack Obama to congratulate him on the recent killing of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.
After a 10-year hunt for him following the September 11, 2001 attacks, bin Laden on Monday was killed in a raid by U.S. forces on a mansion north of the Pakistani capital Islamabad.
According to a spokeswoman for Gillard, the prime minister had spoken to Obama on Saturday morning to congratulate him on the Pakistan operation and bin Laden's death.
"The prime minister told the president it was a courageous decision and a job well done that had dealt a great blow against terrorism," the spokeswoman told Australia Associated Press on Saturday.
Gillard and Obama then discussed the need for continued vigilance in the fight against terrorism and the ongoing threat posed by al-Qaida.
The spokeswoman said Gillard has assured Obama that Australia would stay the course in Afghanistan to ensure that it never again becomes a safe haven for terrorism.
Meanwhile, it was not the only diplomatic call Gillard has made in the last 24-hours.
She has also called Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Friday to applaud him on his Conservative Party's majority re- election.
"The two leaders emphasized the value they attach to the bilateral relationship and to the close and long-standing cooperation between the two countries on regional and global challenges," the spokeswoman for Gillard said.
According to Gillard's spokeswoman, Harper also said he was looking forward to visiting Perth of Australia for the first time, when he arrives for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting there in October.
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