Japan, U.S., Australia agree to boost disaster, security cooperation

KYOTO, June 28 Kyodo - Japan, the United States and Australia agreed Friday to enhance trilateral cooperation in disaster relief measures in case a major disaster hits a part of the Asia-Pacific region, in the wake of a cyclone in Myanmar and a strong
earthquake in China's Sichuan Province.

Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice and Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith also confirmed their
commitment to enhancing security and defense cooperation among the three
countries.

They pledged continued cooperation with international organizations including
the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the International
Search and Rescue Advisory Group and the International Federation of Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies.

''Australia, Japan and the United States will continue to work closely with
such bodies and national partners in the Asia-Pacific region, to strengthen
collaborative humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mechanisms,'' said
one of two joint statements the countries released after the talks.

The three ministers also compared notes over the issues of the threat of
chemical, biological and nuclear terrorism, and how to combat terrorist
financing.

The ministers met in Kyoto after the Group of Eight foreign ministerial talks
ended earlier in the day in the western Japanese city.

The trilateral talks came after high-level officials from the three countries
agreed on the need to strengthen emergency support in case a major disaster
hits the Asia-Pacific region, following the strong earthquake in China and the
massive cyclone in Myanmar.==Kyodo