Defence Minister Robert Hill agreed the search might face criticism because it would not be sanctioned by the United Nations, but said he doubted the UN Security Council would be up to the task anyway.

"We are not so much interested in how others might perceive the process," Hill told reporters in Australia's capital. "We're interested in a process that can best assure us that the threat of weapons of mass destruction has been removed.

"And that's why were are interested in contributing to an element that will have this task of searching all of the remaining sites and interviewing scientists and so forth."

He said the search by coalition weapons inspectors would not stop the United Nations from pursuing the same goal if the Security Council was of a mind to do that.

"But I don't think the Security Council is in a state at the moment where it will really pick up the challenge and get the job done in any event," he added.

"We can't afford to wait. If we wait the window of opportunity will be lost, the evidence will go cold."

He said there are hundreds of sites to be examined in the continuing search for weapons of mass destruction.

"We have now settled on a defence team of some 12 specialists who will be going to Iraq in the next week or so to make a contribution on Australia's behalf to ensuring that full benefit is taken in terms of avoiding a threat from weapons of mass destruction in the future."

Hill said Canberra had also agreed in principle to send RAAF air traffic controllers to assist the humanitarian effort at Baghdad international airport.

"Obviously, the orderly flow of support aircraft into the major cities of Iraq is going to be critically important in achieving the humanitarian and rehabilitation outcomes that we would like within a short period of time," he said.

"And that's why we decided to support that particular niche."

At the same time, the special forces troops and F/A-18 Hornet fighters which have been part of the coalition fighting forces will be withdrawn as soon as possible now that the conflict is in its final stages.

Prime Minister John Howard announced last week that the government would provide a component to a coalition sponsored group of specialists that would continue the task of rehabilitation in Iraq for some time.

Australia has sent six specialists to join the US military-run office of reconstruction and humanitarian affairs, now poised to move from Kuwait into Iraq as soon as it is militarily secure.

Hill said the government was considering other military contributions to the rehabilitation of Iraq and announcements would be made in due course.

He congratulated Australian military forces on the success and speed of the action, but he said coalition forces expected unconventional warfare to continue for some time.

SPACE.WIRE