WASHINGTON, May 4 (UPI) -- Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Wednesday his government is "utterly determined" to secure the release in Iraq of hostage Douglas Wood.
"We are utterly determined to get him released," he said at the U.S. State Department after meeting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "It may be difficult, but we're putting everything we possibly can into it and we've far from given up."
Wood, 63, was shown Monday being held at gunpoint by masked men on video aired by the Arabic-language Al Jazeera network. In the video, Wood called for withdrawal of U.S., Australian and British troops from Iraq.
Downer said Wednesday Wood, who has lived in the United States for more than a decade, suffers from heart and other health problems.
Both Wood's family and Downer have appeared on Al Jazeer -- the most widely viewed television network in the Arab world -- , appealing for the hostage's release.
Downer has praised the United States and other coalition partners in Iraq for their cooperation on the issue.
Australia is a key member of President Bush's "coalition of the willing" in Iraq.
