Australian PM under fire over alleged Bush leakAustralian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. came under fire on Sunday for reportedly leaking embarrassing details of a phone call with US President George W. Bush.
During the call to discuss the global financial crisis on October 10, Bush reportedly responded to a suggestion by Rudd for a summit of the G20 group by saying: "What's the G20?" The alleged exchange, reported by The Weekend Australian to have taken place as Rudd took the call during a dinner party at his official Sydney residence, has been denied by both Washington and Rudd's office. But the leader of the opposition Liberal Party, Malcolm Turnbull Malcolm Bligh Turnbull (born 24 October 1954), Australian politician, is the Federal Minister for Environment and Water Resources. He is a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives, representing the Division of Wentworth in Sydney's eastern suburbs since October , said Sunday that Rudd should apologise v. 1. same as apologize. Verb 1. apologise - defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning; "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success" for embarrassing Bush by leaking details of the phone call. The alleged exchange was leaked "in a way that was clearly authoritative, that clearly came from the prime minister's office The Prime Minister's Office is a small department which provides advice to a Prime Minister in some countries:
The briefing was "designed to embarrass embarrass /em·bar·rass/ (em-bar´as) to impede the function of; to obstruct. em·bar·rass v. To interfere with or impede (a bodily function or part). the US, and in particular the president, and of course to make Mr Rudd particularly knowledgeable," Turnbull said. The G20, a grouping of the world's largest industrialised Adj. 1. industrialised - made industrial; converted to industrialism; "industrialized areas" industrialized industrial - having highly developed industries; "the industrial revolution"; "an industrial nation" and emerging economies, will meet in Washington on November 15, at Bush's invitation, to discuss the financial crisis. Former foreign minister Alexander Downer Alexander John Gosse Downer, MP (born 9 September 1951), Australian politician, became Foreign Minister of Australia in March 1996 This makes him the longest serving Foreign Minister in Australian history. , who served the Liberal government ousted by Rudd's Labor Party last year, called for an investigation into the alleged leak, saying it could damage Australia's ties with the US. Turnbull said Rudd could avoid a police investigation by apologising for the "remarkable diplomatic gaffe," saying he had heard directly that the leak had caused offence to the Bush administration. "This has caused considerable offence in Washington," he said. The Sunday Telegraph reported that Rudd's office had issued a statement denying the alleged details of the conversation. "The president did not make the reported comment you refer to. In fact he has been deeply engaged with the G20 and the role the G20 will play in dealing with the global financial crisis," the statement said. Rudd is expected to attend the G20 summit in Washington. 
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