Australia's newly re-elected Prime Minister John Howard may be unquestioning in his support for the United States, but one of his key priorities during a fourth straight term will be to shore up often uneasy ties with Asia.

Howard was quickly congratulated by close allies US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair after voters re-elected his conservative government on Saturday but there is another leader Howard is keen to speak to.

"One person I will want to speak to ... very soon is the President-elect of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who will be a very important figure in our region," Howard told reporters at his final news conference on October 8 before the election.

With Australia and Australians named as a target by Islamic militant network al Qaeda and its Southeast Asian arm Jemaah Islamiah, Howard knows the importance of support for the war on terror from the leader of the world's largest Muslim nation.

At times Howard has tested Australia's relationship with Asia, alarming its nearest neighbours with recent policy announcements that reinforced his 1999 description of Australia as a US "deputy sheriff" in Asia.

Australia adopted an interventionist policy in the South Pacific following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, fearing instability in its small island neighbours could create havens for drug traffickers, smugglers and terror groups.

Australia already has troops and police in the Solomon Islands and police in Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. It plans to deploy a force of police and civil servants in the coming months to Papua New Guinea to restore law and order to that troubled South Pacific nation.

Pre-emptive strikes

Howard caused further alarm when he recently reiterated his view that pre-emptive strikes in another country were a legitimate response to terrorist threats, and announced plans for a regional spy school and for counter-terrorism teams in Asia.

Australia has unveiled plans to create Southeast Asia's "most lethal" force of fighter jets with long-range cruise missiles.

But Howard does not believe he will have to explain his policies, particularly on pre-emptive strikes, to Yudhoyono, who he hopes to meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in Chile in November.

"He will understand exactly what I'm talking about and he will know that it is non-threatening to Indonesia," Howard said.

"The circumstances in which it might happen are circumstances where another country would be either unwilling or unable (to act) and I have no doubt the spirit of co-operation between Australia and Indonesia would never see that occur," he said.

Howard's beaten rival, Labour leader Mark Latham, derided the government during a six-week election campaign for its "hairy-chested" policy of pre-emption and argued involvement in US-led Iraq has made Australia less safe.

Latham, who wanted to bring Australia's 850 troops in and around Iraq home, believed Australia was less safe because resources had been diverted to the other side of the world when the focus should have been on waging the war on terror in Asia.

Balancing US and Asia

But in a victory speech on Saturday Howard, who is adamant Australia's troops will remain in Iraq as long as necessary, said Australia should be proud of the stands it has taken.

"Let us remember this very same day the people of Afghanistan have had an election," Howard told cheering supporters.

"That election has been made possible by reason of the fact a number of countries, including Australia, were prepared to take a stand for democracy and to take a stand against terrorism."

Howard has also ended Australia's traditional hands-off approach to its Southeast Asian backyard by leading a UN-backed peacekeeping force in East Timor.

Howard said visits by Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao to address the Australian parliament on consecutive days a year ago showed Australia was able to maintain its close alliance with the United States and at the same time strengthen ties in Asia.

Japan, China and South Korea are among Australia's largest trading partners and Howard said a key goal in his fourth term is to put more emphasis on the country's trade relationships in the region.

Australia already has free trade agreements with the United States, Singapore and Thailand and is exploring deals with China, Malaysia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

(Agencies via Xinhua)