Defence Minister Robert Ray said Tuesday that Australian military, the third force in the US-led coalition, would return at the end of the war although no decision had been made to commit troops to the so-called phase four -- the rebuilding of Iraq.

But Australia, which committed 2,000 military personnel to the US-led war in Iraq, expects to play a modest but useful role in Iraq's postwar reconstruction, Hill said.

"We have particular skills say in the agricultural area, dry land farming," he said.

"There are many ways in which we as a country can help Iraq rebuild and provide a better future and I hope and expect Australia will play a modest but useful role in that regard."

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, who returned at the weekend from talks in Washington with senior US officials including Secretary of State Colin Powell, has also said Australia expected to be given responsibility for running Iraq's department of agriculture.

He said Sunday that Australia was involved in planning Iraq's post-war administration and reconstruction and had a number of officials working in the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Affairs (ORHA) set up by the United States in Washington and Kuwait.

It was likely that Australians would play some role when the new government started moving into Iraq, he added.

"I don't want to give you the impression that Australians will necessarily be playing a key role, though it's possible in the area of agriculture, Australians could play a key role," Downer said.

Downer said Australia supported US plans for an incremental post-war passing of administrative responsibility to Iraqis.

He also believed the Iraqi administration would ultimately be elected, with a government similar to that of post-Taliban Afghanistan.

"Its going to be a process which will be a little similar to that, though I think the United Nations will certainly have a role in the latter stage of the evolution of a new permanent Iraqi Government."

SPACE.WIRE