MELBOURNE, July 31 (UPI) -- Australia's Prime Minister John Howard has announced he is staying in office and will seek to be returned to office in the next election, due in 2007.
The country's treasurer, Peter Costello, who was involved in a leadership wrangle with Howard earlier this month, has also announced he will continue in his post and as deputy leader.
Howard ended weeks of speculation about his future in a letter to Liberal Party colleagues Monday saying he would stay on and lead the party to next year's election.
At a news conference, Costello said it was clear that "most people" do not now support a leadership transition.
"As deputy leader and treasurer I will work for the re-election of the coalition government, for the election of all our candidates and for the re-election of John Howard as Prime Minister, he said.
