The United States has requested HMAS Anzac stay on in Gulf and that that another Australian warship replace her at the end of her operational tenure.

The Minister for Defence, Mr Peter Reith, told of the requests late last month.

Mr Reith said, " HMAS Anzac was originally scheduled to complete her maritime interception operations in the Persian Gulf on September 16.

"The Government agreed to a US request to extend that deployment until October 3.

"US Central Command has requested a further extension of HMAS Anzac's deployment until the end of October 2001 and has requested that another Royal Australian Naval vessel replace ANZAC at that time."

Mr Reith said the US Commander-in-Chief of Central Command had advised that Australian presence in the Gulf in the foreseeable future is vital to the continued success of the Multinational Interception Force.

"The Government has agreed to the continued deployment of a Royal Australian Navy frigate to support these operations," Mr Reith said.

Anzac was sent to the Gulf earlier this year to support the United Nations invoked sanctions on the Iraqi Government.

Her primary role is to board, inspect and if necessary apprehend vessels carrying banned cargo, such as oil, from Iraq.

At the same time as announcing the US request for Anzac to stay on, Mr Reith said CDF, ADML Chris Barrie was going to Indonesia and Washington.

In Jakarta he was to meet with his Indonesian counterpart and other senior officials to discuss issues of defence cooperation.

In Washington he was scheduled to attend the farewell of the outgoing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, GEN Shelton.

ADML Barrie's US visit also provided him with the opportunity for briefings on possible US responses to the terrorist attacks as well as possible Australian contributions.