Iraqi Trade Minister Mohamed Saleh said that Baghdad will resume normal wheat orders in gratitude to the half a million Australians who took part in anti-war protests across the country a week ago.
Iraq was also grateful to the Australian Wheat Board, which had been a faithful supplier over many years, he said.
"Iraq doesn't forget a friend in difficult times," Saleh told Australia's Nine Network television.
He said the leadership in Baghdad was "convinced" by televised images of the anti-war demonstrations by "the people of Australia" and by opposition in Parliament, where lawmakers ''are talking against the prime minister.''
In December last year Iraq slashed its annual imports of Australian wheat by almost half to 1 million tonnes for this year because of Prime Minister John Howard's strong support of Washington's hardline stance against Iraq.
Australia has in recent weeks sent 2,000 Australian troops to join US forces preparing for war in the Persian Gulf.
The reduction was made at the renegotiation of an annual contract in which Iraq imports wheat from Australia under the UN's oil-for-food program. The program was set up to ease the impact of UN sanctions on Iraqi civilians.
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