Premier Steve Bracks yesterday called on the US ambassador to Australia to explain why the Bush Administration was intruding in Australia's domestic politics by commenting on federal Labor's Iraq policy.

Mr Bracks said he was surprised and shocked by US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage's claim that Labor was split over its policy to withdraw Australian troops from Iraq by Christmas.

Asked if US ambassador Tom Schieffer should explain Mr Armitage's remarks to Federal Opposition Leader Mark Latham, he said: "I'd like to see an explanation... I thought our relationship was more advanced, more mature and more well developed that those statements attribute."

Both Mr Fraser and former Labor Prime Minister Paul Keating have strongly attacked US interference after the latest Armitage intervention.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/07/09/1089000352020.html