Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has stressed his country's strong interest in a more active foreign policy. Rudd made the comment during his visit to the US.

Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has stressed his country's strong interest in a more active  foreign policy.  (CCTV.com)

Kevin Rudd, Australian Prime Minister, said, "The new Australian government I lead is committed to building a strong prosperous outward looking Australia. Our strategic goals are to maximize global and regional stability and to ensure the global economy remains¹ open. Through this we believe we can enhance our economic prospects², not just for Australia but for all nations. We approach our task as a nation, that is one fully³ committed to global engagement."

Rudd was speaking to the independent think-tank the Brookings Institute on a wide range of foreign policy issues.

This included the conflicts in Afghanistan and the withdrawal⁴ of Australian troops from Iraq.

Rudd stressed the first pillar of Australia's foreign policy is the alliance with the US.